Robotic Entertainment or Human Laziness?

While reading towards chapter four of Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less from Each Other by Sherry Turkle, I came to the realization on how much robotics have really advanced and become more accepted as a replacement for genuine human interaction and experiences. As a child growing up in an era where robotics were considered more of a toy, I really only saw it as one. Now I can see that robotics really are leading the way in not just how we are entertained, but how we actually experience life.
First off, Turkle mentions the Tamagotchi, and how it effected the late 90's era. Children were convinced that there was a real digital creature within the programmed device. If the Tamagotchi dies, it would reset, and was seen never the same again. Secondly, a more advanced version of the Tamagotchi blooms in the early 2000's known as a Furby. However, the Furby was what seemed like a real owl-like creature. This was when many children truly believed it was alive. Turkle experimented with many families and their children on what they thought about this technological creature. She would give several families a Furby along with a Diary for the parents to observe what their children do with it, and then Turkle would take the Furby back when their few weeks go up. Soon she did the same with a new robotic mechanism at the time known as My Real Baby. Turkle's observations turned out to be similar. For the most part, children enjoy communicating to the robot rather than an actual person.  This was also the same with the next bot, AIBO. Even though AIBO was mostly owned by adults who knew the robot was nothing but a robot, they still communicated to it as if it were actually listening and understanding them like real a living creature.
Turkle states how "today's fantasies...share something important: the idea that after a robot serves as a better-than-nothing substitute, it might become equal or even preferable, to a pet or person." (64). This quote highlights not only robotics, but even the media, as they go hand in hand. Soon there may be a new generation with no actual communication. Amazon's Alexa may update and have arms to make our lives easier, we can't live off that. Overall, technology was meant to make life easier, but lets make sure it won't take advantage of us. The Tamagotchi was unable to be turned off, along with the Furby unless it was reset, but the My Real Baby had the ability to be shut off making it easier for parents. Technology is growing fast, either we use it so much because we are either lazy or productive. Technology only advances ever year to better our lives, people complain of why can't their phone withstand water, well companies hear them out so they create the Life Proof Case or a new and improved waterproof device. Soon there will be a complaint of why can't Alexa decide on what to eat! We are smarter than this, we must work, think and decide ourselves, not let some robot take over.
Do you believe if technology advances more, will this generation misuse it to where it is unhealthy, or use it for productivity? I believe those who are raised with nothing but television, and social media may end up going down a wrong path. Parents buying their six year old an iPhone? Really? Is this what's to come with the new generation? Is humanity going to be cooped up in a space ship, sitting on hover chairs, drinking nothing but shakes while robotics do all the work? (I doubt there would be a Wall-E around to bring in a plant and save the day... that's just the reality of it). At what point does the use of technology hinder the human experience of life?

Maddison Worley