Life in the Digital Now

In this TED talk by Abha Dawesar argues that the use of technology disrupts our flow of time.  She used the comparison of life to a story. She, as a novelist, views our life with two divisions of time, stories and life as: "a long arc of time that is our lifespan, and the timeframe of direct experience that is the moment." Eventually she describes the impact that technology has had on our interpretation of of the smallest moments of our lives. Technology forces us to live in a world that is a few seconds ahead, in a world where we are constantly more concerned with refreshing a twitter feed than life around us. Her next point was the fact that technology distracts us from the true present time period around us. Overall, her talk aims to encourage people to step away from technology to see how it affects their own digital present and into the true present. 

Dawesar's argument is effective through her use of logos and pathos. Her examples of technology during Hurricane Sandy and experiences of life before technology offer backing to the idea that technology is taking over our lives by allowing us to step back and logically look at how much we miss when looking at technology. Her only obvious bias that might impair the quality of her argument might be the fact that she is a middle age woman. In her lifetime she has the ability to remember a time before such prevalent technology where as a high school student who has grown up surrounded and learning from technology may have a differing opinion.  Despite this her argument remains sound.  She attempts to add pathos by including stories of her family that appeal to people's emotions. Using phrases like "flow of love" she connects technology to typically emotional ideas like love and family.

I chose this talk because it was most relevant to my life. Technology controls everything I do. Even sitting here, I am currently texting, watching Netflix, and listening to a TED talk. How is that possible? Its not. As Dawesar said technology gives us "the sensation that time's arrow is pointing everywhere and nowhere at once". I can use technology to do everything and nothing all at once. Before this TED Talk I considered this a good thing, technology opened a world of relaxation and mindless activity, but from this I have learned that technology has changed more than that. I am now look at technology like a change to my natural way of time. It interrupts my ability to enjoy the world happening all around me. What makes us human is the fact that we seek advancement. Technology has become prominent in our lives because of this advancement. I believe that though all the negatives mentioned technology provides an advancement in society that is greater.