TOW #3- Non-fiction text

      Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology, Sherry Turkle, takes a strong position on the effects of technology on today's conversations.  In her recent opinion article in The New York Times, Stop Googling. Let's Talk, Turkle focuses on how the age-old face-to-face conversation is being replaced by text messages and the distraction of the cell phone.  With careful analyzation of the human race, she draws the conclusion that our capability of holding a conversation is worsening as a result of everyday technology.  Through "studying the psychology of online connectivity for more than 30 years", she includes a number of different resources in her article, ranging from children to college students.  In one of the mentioned studies, a team at the University of Michigan "found a 40 percent decline in empathy among college students, with most of the decline taking place after 2000".   By including this research in her text, Turkle appeals to logos by providing scientific proof to her audience.  This shows that there is more than just daily observations and scenarios supporting her claim.  

     Sherry Turkle also utilizes satire in her writing, not only targeting the "digital generation" but also including herself in the accusation.  Throughout her article, she constantly uses the words "we" and "our".  For example, she states that "we've gotten used to being connected all the time, but we have found ways around conversation".  This point of view in which she is satirizing not only forces the reader to admit to themselves that they value time on their phone more than genuine discussion with somebody, but it also establishes a sense of credibility about herself.  It makes the reader feel less criticized, but still has the effect that it needs in order to make the audience find fault with themselves.  Turkle also does this in an effort to show the reader how almost everybody can be impacted by these side effects of text messaging and apps; she doesn't try to put herself on some type of pedestal.  

     Through the use of these rhetorical strategies, Turkle is successfully able to make her audience aware of the consequences of relying too much on technology for communication.  However, at the end of her article, she makes clear that "we are not looking for simple solutions" but instead, "we are looking for beginnings".  She then goes on to give suggestions on how to possibly begin improving face-to-face conversation, and how sometimes we just need to be put ourselves in an uncomfortable situation; starting a conversation can be risky.  But her point is that without that risk factor, it's becoming more difficult for us to find ourselves.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/opinion/sunday/stop-googling-lets-talk.html?ref=opinion&_r=0