Cyborgology and Digital Dualism

I found this article on the Cyborgology blog, called "Sherry Turkle's Chronic Digital Dualism Problem" by David Banks.

In it he critiques Turkle's opinion piece, "The Flight From Conversation" in the New York Times Sunday Review.

While Turkle laments the loss of conversation from the social interactions of young people, Banks argues that the medium is not so much the cause of the loss as it is an as yet unmanaged augmentation to our social milieu. 

"This is where the distinction between digital dualism and augmented reality become essential. The digital dualist perspective says no: there is something in the technology that enables/causes antisocial behavior and we must overcome this false consciousness by actively refusing to use our devices. The augmented reality perspective demands that we look at root causes. That might lead us to the same ends: no texting at the dinner table, leave your smartphone at home at least once a week, but it also lets us consider other problems. Maybe your kids are on Facebook because you live in a suburb where you can’t meet another human without driving a car. It also forces us to think of the big picture- I will gladly live in a world where Cape Cod tourists are distracted by Facebook updates if it means disadvantaged groups have tools to reach out and organize across geographic boundaries. Let the rich be alone together, the rest of us will find something to talk about. "

 I think Banks has more in common with Turkle's position than he lets on. Digital Dualism is a label he has thrust upon her, and then makes a distinction that is not so much a distinction (to me) as another augmentation. As the cartoon above illustrates. We often attribute characteristics to others that we are unaware of in ourselves. The reality is that often we are very similar even to those we find most unlike us.