Anecdotes By Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman used anecdotes in order to convince the reader that technology captures our attention and disrupts our connections. Goleman writes, “The little girl’s head came up only to her mother’s waist as they rode a ferry to a vacation island. The mother, though, didn’t respond to her, or even seem to notice; she was absorbed in her iPad all the while” (1). This explains how a young girl went to hug her mother, but her mother did not notice because all her attention was focused on her iPad (technology). This quote is an anecdote because it is a short, personal story. It strengthens Goleman’s argument because the reader could connect to it, as they have most likely see a parent ignore their child while engaged in some form of technology.

Within a minute of taking their seats in the dark van, dim lights flickered on as every one of the sisters checked an iPhone or tablet. Desultory conversations sputtered along while they texted or scrolled through Facebook. But there was mostly silence” (2). In that quote, Goleman explained how nine sorority sisters, even though they were going on a weekend getaway, were too engaged by various forms of technology to have a decent conversation. It is an anecdote because it is a short, personal story that Goleman tells. The reader could connect to the girl’s lackluster conversations due to the girls’ engagement in technology because situations like those happen every day, which strengthens Goleman’s argument. The anecdotes Goleman used strengthened his argument by allowing the reader to connect to common situations how technology captures our attention and disrupts our