Technology and Relationships

We are in an age of wonder and amazement with technology. It can go anywhere with us, and we can be reachable at any time. We use technology to learn in classrooms; order our groceries; navigate our cities; keep up with breaking news; and connect with friends, family members, politicians, and faith-based communities. Moreover, we are now always reachable and can respond immediately to that beeping, buzzing, and ringing of texts, emails, and phone calls. We are now accustomed to the reward that we feel when our phones ring or ping us with a new message, and that makes us want more. Some have even suggested that technology is controlling us, like an addiction.

In this conversation, you and other participants will explore questions around our increasingly digital society and how it is helping and/or hurting us. By practicing the conversation agreements and sticking to the three-round structure, you’ll learn more about how you and your peers think about the role of technology in our lives today.

These are the agreements that you will follow during the conversation.

Be Curious and Open to Learning. Listen to and be open to hearing all points of view. Maintain an attitude of exploration and learning. Conversation is as much about listening as it is about talking.
Show Respect and Suspend Judgment Human beings tend to judge one another. Do your best not to. Setting judgments aside will better enable you to learn from others and help them feel respected and appreciated.
Look for Common Ground and Appreciate Differences In this conversation, we look for what we agree on and simply appreciate that we will disagree on some beliefs and opinions.
Be Authentic and Welcome that from Others Share what's important to you. Speak authentically from your personal and heartfelt experience. Be considerate to others who are doing the same.
Be Purposeful and to the Point Notice if what you are conveying is or is not “on purpose” to the question at hand. Notice if you are making the same point more than once.
Own and Guide the Conversation Take responsibility for the quality of your participation and the conversation by noticing what's happening, and actively support getting yourself and others back “on purpose” when needed.