I have personally encountered social events riddled with awkward silences due to excessive phone usage. I know for a fact that I am guilty of pulling my phone out during a meal or gettogether. Technology usage during such gatherings most definitely hurts conversation. In this way, socialization has regressed. However, I believe that technology usage has also improved my social skills to an extent. I strongly disagree with her point that “Our phones are not accessories, but psychologically potent devices that change not just what we do but who we are” when read with her intended negative connotation. I feel much more comfortable with a person if I have been speaking to him/her over the phone, thus leading to more meaningful and empathetic face-to-face interactions. This counters Turkle’s claim that society lacks “Conversation that is open-ended and spontaneous, in which we play with ideas and allow ourselves to be fully present and vulnerable.” In all, I find that phone usage has changed me for the better overall, despite some of its negative