Are you seeking companionship with a robot? If so, why?
Technology is constantly thriving every second of each day. The many inventions created has its benefits towards man-kind, but do we realize the consequences of our constant usage of technology? Sherry Turkle, a professor at MIT, and author of Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other talks about how the invention of robots has affected the way many humans view technology. Turkle studies the idea of how human connection is starting to deteriorate with the usage of devices and social media. In addition, Turkle takes note of how technology has affected the people’s mindset on the issue of robots, such that many are starting to seek this idea of companionship and intimacy from robots. In Alone Together, the idea that robots can serve as a spouse, in ways where robots can substitute a lost loved one or even an alive lover is explored; Turkle critically comments on this issue by stating “I did not see marriage to a machine as a welcome evolution in human relationships.” Turkle views our time as the “robotic movement,” as humans are more willing to allow themselves to view robots as creatures rather than as machines. As of now, humans still come in contact with other humans whether or not it’s through a screen, but soon enough robots may inhabit the place of another human as a lover, friend or pet. Social robots are starting to become a valuable idea in the eyes of many, and Turkle says “there will be robots to take care of us. Our children are neglected; robots will tend to them […] Robot’s won’t be judgmental. We will be accommodated,” the thing people fear the most is judgement, but with a robot — they’re able to behave and feel however they please.
With all the new inventions in technology, we as a human race are slowly losing touch with humanity. Instead, many of us hide behind cell phone and computer screens to avoid awkward confrontations, or from “revealing too much” of ourselves to others. Turkle’s title of her novel, Alone Together says it all. We are becoming more lonely than ever before, while thinking and believing that we are growing more connected to others. However, we do not realize that the more time we spend connecting to others via social media, that we are losing precious time from experiencing the world around us with someone special. Turkle has trouble understanding how humans can have a real human relationship with a robot, and I have to stand by with her on this point. As I was scrolling through her twitter she tweeted:
Turkle believes that human interaction is crucial to the development of the human race, and that we should begin putting down our devices in order to continue communicating face-to-face with others. The more humans start to confide in robots as a companion, we lose this real connection we can have with another human. Turkle tweeted about how Robots do not have empathy and brings up an important question to think about below:
So why do people tell their life stories to a robot? It could possibly be because they are seeking comfort and reinforcement. With this in mind, Turkle argues that robots are able to act as if they care with eye contact, responding based on cues and pretending to understand, but all of this does not mean a robot can empathize. Turkle continues to argue by stating that robots have no experience with human life nor have they experienced death. Death and life experiences have shaped our minds, whereas sociable robots are manufactured to behave in ways to show that they “care” or “understand,” but in reality — they don’t, not even the slightest bit.
Below I attached a ted talk video of Sherry Turkle, she discusses the issue of “why we expect more from technology and less from each other.”
