The Why Factor

Why do we text instead of talk?


Listen Later

We can now curate who we talk to in a way that wasn’t thinkable when a bulky landline phone sat in a corner of a house and rang with anonymous urgency. The screens on our devices allow us to communicate in any number of quick, cheap but silent ways.These modern technologies are very useful, which is why they are so ubiquitous, but are they taking something from us that is deeply human? Sandra Kanthal asks why we choose to text instead of talk, and if this incredibly popular form of communication is changing the way we interact and relate with each other.

Contributors:

Gary Turk - Spoken Word Artist/Poet

Sherry Turkle - Professor of the Social Studies of Technology, MIT and Author, Reclaiming Conversation: How To Talk In The Digital Age

Sophie Scott - Director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London

Mary Jane Copps - Owner, The Phone Lady

Chetan Deshpande - Digital Sales and Profit Consultant

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Why FactorBy BBC World Service

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

182 ratings


More shows like The Why Factor

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,389 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,839 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,886 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,718 Listeners

CIPD by CIPD

CIPD

18 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,791 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,052 Listeners

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson by Luke Thompson

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

663 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

962 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,921 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,078 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

823 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,562 Listeners

The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly by SiriusXM

The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Robert Kelly

3,625 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,962 Listeners