Amber Case: We are all cyborgs now

http://www.ted.com Technology is evolving us, says Amber Case, as we become a screen-staring, button-clicking new version of homo sapiens. We now rely on "external brains" (cell phones and computers) to communicate, remember, even live out secondary lives. But will these machines ultimately connect or conquer us? Case offers surprising insight into our cyborg selves.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Schwyndfst]

This channel is one of the most intellectually stimulating I have ever found

[Agitpropist]

The theory that technology brings us closer together is great, but in reality many people are constantly on their phones and rarely take time to connect face to face.

[devotae]

she sounds so positive about a negative thing, yes there are pros but also cons. You cant just talk about the pros. Technology is crippling us, we're losing our ability to remember things because we don't NEED to. so memory (which is a trained skill) is not being taught seriously anymore. and people who actually have this skill & a great memory are considered "above average" or "genius" ; when in the past it was just normal. I feel this ted talk was lacking and it was hard to enjoy.

[Lia Hollander]

Nicely done, Amber.

[djm122270]

Although her talk contains many truths regarding humankind, I must disagree with her use in labeling "us" as all "cyborgs".Cybernetic organisms have more to do with biomaterials and bioelectronics.

"A cyborg, short for "cybernetic organism", is a being with both organic and cybernetic parts...There is a clear distinction between the human and computerized technology...which differs from cyborgs in that cyborgs act out human functions..."

[ZombiezuRFER]

I spoke of all situations. I have friends who live two minutes down the road, but it takes preparation to set up for me to come over, or vice versa. I don't always have the time between my schedule and my friends' schedule to socialize face to face. In lieu of being able to get together physically, we often get together virtually. That said, we do all fence together twice a week, so I still get face to face time. No one socialization strategy is perfect, they all have their ups and downs.

[tenchi1993]

He's talking about people we are present with, in person, in the moment, not friends who are far away or something.

[ZombiezuRFER]

Do we blame the technology for the way that people choose to act, or the people for having chosen this? Furthermore, is face to face the most efficient and "best" form of socialization? It's impractical to get face to face with my friends all the time, because I just don't have that time to do so. Don't blame the tech for the supposed pitfall, blame the current situation in which we live.

[alexmomonga]

Clearly you're an ignorant faggot. The whole point of cyborg anthopoology indeed grows --to a certain extent-- from Haraway's manifesto, but there's quite a lot of theories in its fundation. Maybe you'd like to, dunno, read something about it?

[Anibal Montano]

"The other thing that happens is that you got a second self, whether you like it or not" and you need to develop and maintain those alter egos because "they are yourself"