Howmanytimesadaydoyoucheckyouremail?Whenyouwakeup?Beforebed?Adozentimesinbetween?Thetechnologythatwassupposedtosimplifyourliveshasbecomethevitaltime-suck:theaverageteenspendsmorethansevenhoursadayu

　　Howmanytimesadaydoyoucheckyouremail?Whenyouwakeup?Beforebed?Adozentimesinbetween?Thetechnologythatwassupposedtosimplifyourliveshasbecomethevitaltime-suck:theaverageteenspendsmorethansevenhoursadayusingtechnologicaldevicesplusanadditionalhourjusttext-messagingfriends.

　　Theadvantageoftechnologicaldevicesisconnectedness:emailletsusrespondonthegoandweareintouchwithmorepeopleduringmorehoursofthedaythanatanyothertimeinhistory.Butisitpossiblewe’remorelonelythanevertoo?That’swhatMITprofessorSherryTurkleobservesinhernewbookAloneTogetherafascinatingportraitofourchangingrelationshipwithtechnology.Turkledetailsthewaystechnologyhasredefinedourcomprehensionofclosenessandloneliness—andwarnsusofthedangerofacceptingsuchvirtual(虚拟的)relationshipsinplaceoflastingemotionalconnections.

　　ForTurklethebiggestworryistheeffectalltheseshallowconnectionshaveonourdevelopment.Istechnologyofferingustheliveswewanttolive?“We’retextingpeopleatadistance”saysTurkle“We’reusinglifelessobjectstoconvinceourselvesthatevenwhenwe’realonewefeeltogether.Andthenwhenwe’rewitheachotherweputourselvesinsituationswherewearealone—constantlyonourmobiledevices.It’swhatIcallaperfectstormofconfusionaboutwhat’simportantinourhumanconnections.”

　　Whatcan’tbedeniedisthattechnologywhateveritsfaultsmakeslifeawholeloteasier.Itallowsustocommunicatewithmorepeopleinlesstimeandmakesconversationsimple.Butitcanalsobeseductive(具有诱惑性的)providingmorestimulationthanournaturallives.Thereareusuallysomeunhealthyvideosonlinewhichremoveteenagers’attentionfromtheirschoolwork.Besidessomeonlineactivitiesmakepeopleaddictedwhichoccupiedtheirdailylifeandaffectedtheirabilitytoformreal-worldrelationships.“Technologycanbemoreimmediatelysatisfyingthanthelaborofbuildinganintimaterelationship”saidonehighschoolstudent“EverytimeItextIstarttohavesomehappyfeelings.”

　　Butareanyofthosefeelingsequaltothekindwefeelwhenengagedinrealface-to-facecommunication?Onlineyoucanneglectothers’feelings.Inatextmessageyoucanavoideyecontact.An