{"id":6345,"date":"2013-01-04T20:05:22","date_gmt":"2013-01-05T01:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=6345"},"modified":"2013-01-04T20:06:07","modified_gmt":"2013-01-05T01:06:07","slug":"book-review-alone-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=6345","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: Alone Together"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Technology reshapes the landscape of our emotional lives, but is it offering us the lives we want to lead?” Sherry Turkle, Alone Together<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The name of this book spoke volumes to me…Alone Together<\/em><\/a>…what an accurate and terrible way to describe our technology generation.\u00a0 Just recently some friends and I were talking (all early to mid-30’s) of how much we wonder what things would be like if email and smartphones had never been invented.\u00a0 It’s interesting to note that our conversation took place over the Christmas holidays while our email had away notices turned out and we were actually unplugged for a few days.\u00a0 It’s in the midst of detoxing from technology that we find rest and peace in our real life connectedness with family and friends.<\/p>\n

I usually read books on the Kindle app for my iPad.\u00a0 I’m really glad I ordered the physical copy of this book because I wasn’t tempted to flip back and forth between email, facebook, and reading.\u00a0 In realizing this…I do think I will make more of an effort to read physical books this year as often as possible.\u00a0 I particularly like the ease of the e-reader when I am travelling as it saves me having to pack several books.\u00a0 When I am not travelling, I want to stick with traditional books to save my eyes from unnecessary screen time and also to really allow myself to connect with the material I am reading.<\/p>\n

I truly am grateful that smartphones weren’t around during my high school and college years.\u00a0 I see how much this generation of students is missing out on when it comes to knowing how to have a face-to-face conversation or even engage conflict.\u00a0 Twitter, Facebook, and texting aren’t evil…but they have become a sad substitute for meaningful interaction.\u00a0 As a Christian, I fully believe that we were created to live in community and to “do life together”.\u00a0 The pervasiveness of technology causes us to miss out on so much that God intended for us to notice.<\/p>\n

I would recommend this book for all parents and for anyone that has the privilege of investing in students.\u00a0 I am grateful for the opportunities God has given me with my daughter sitting on the floor in the kitchen playing PlayDoh or just talking without the interruption of technology.\u00a0 I’ve enjoyed those types of connections with students as we sit together at a meal or join together in worship.\u00a0 My hope and prayer is that those moments will far outweigh the ones that are stolen by choices we make to intentionally engage technology over people.<\/p>\n

I highlighted several things while reading and have posted them below…<\/p>\n