I am blogging about chapters 13 and 14 in Alone Together by Sherry Turkle. The old fashion rule, if you cannot say anything nice then do not say anything at all should still apply this day in age. Just because we are in front of a screen and cannot see the reaction of another person does not mean the words you are typing are not hurtful or mean.

Technology is a mystery. You can never be too sure who you are talking to.

Turkle brings up the story of a boy who created fake accounts to start up conversations about himself to see others opinions. This is dangerous because people are under false pretenses and could say things that are extremely hurtful and could cause major damage. Although, one point I do think of is the boy who is making these false accounts, is being just as kiniving as the people talking bad about him. He is deceiving them and weaseling his way in. He is looking for trouble. Kids who search for pain and the acceptance of others are setting themselves up for failure.

Now the kids who are bullied online by people just attacking is another scenario. Just like the girl in the book said, I give myself "permission to say mean things" online. These are the people who are destroying lives.

- Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.
-More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.
-Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
-Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.




-Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year, according to the CDC. For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it.
-Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University
-A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying
-10 to 14 year old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide, according to the study above
-According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying

I find it extremely interesting that technology helps us to manage life stresses but generates anxieties of its own. It helps adolescents to deal with separating from hope and also to help parents cope with their kids being out for the first time by themselves. Technology allows you to be connected at all times, you are not cut off from anything. This gives a sense of comfort but also a feeling of being overwhelmed. I at times feel like I am being pulled at constantly in a million directions from others. One is calling, another is texting me, another is trying to Skype me, and another is sending me Facebook messages. At times it is just too much. I feel as if I do not tend to all of these different outlets then I am being rude. Anxiety is most certainly cause by the many options we have to stay "in touch."

Being alone for the first time use to be a character building exercise. It allowed you to reach within yourself and depend on you and you alone. Technology allows us to skip this process with the option of calling someone or texting someone if your in need. You are not alone...ever and do not need to depend on just yourself. Why are people scared to be alone? What about our generation has started to ingrain in us that we always need someone? Decades ago it was powerful to be independent and to be alone meant you were strong not lonely. People can give speeches all day on self motivation but if their phone is glued to their hand then what does it all really mean? If you cannot be alone what are you trying to hide?

The point that people feel like they may miss something if they are not always logging in  and staying connected is odd. Why are people so infatuated about other people's lives that they feel as they continually have to keep up to speed? I do not feel as if my life is so boring that I have to live through others. If someone feels they are boring and just find excitement looking at other people then maybe they should focus more of their energy on making their lives more interesting. If they are not one of you closest friends then why are you so attentive to staying connected with what they have done for the day, what they ate, or who they are dating? If they are a close friend, you should not have to feel anxious to check social media but actually talk to them and see them in person to know the details of their life.

The pressure to text back when you receive a text does exist. In the younger audiences, its like attending to your emails. You have to get back to everyone because they know you get the text within 10 minutes of them sending it. Children have to compete with technology for their parent's attention. Laptops and blackberries attend on family vacations. Turkle speaks of one instance when signal was gone so the dad packed up a day early so he could get back and be connected. 

If we were to go on a weekend trip with a loved one and said we were going to leave our cell phones at home, would be be considered weird? I know today's age is different and more dangerous but is it not safe to carry a cell phone now?
Why do children have a double standard? We can text and be on our phones while we ignore and shut our parents out but when they are on their phones then it is a different story. I am guilty of this. I am on my phone a good bit while my mom is talking to me but as soon as I start talking and I need her to listen but she is texting then this 5 year old brat emerges. Im like pay attention to me!!! I do miss the days where we would be at Wendy's and my dad was not playing on his phone during lunch. I wonder what it was like 5 years ago when things were different but I was this age and felt the same.