Our Mothers Ourselves With Katie Hafner: Sherry Turkle's Homage to Her Mother
- Sherry Turkle
- May 31, 2021
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2021
This week, Katie speaks with MIT social scientist Sherry Turkle about her charismatic and vibrant mother, Harriet.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Harriet, a spirited woman, longed for a husband and family. Her first marriage, however, did not work out. Her in-laws did not approve of her non-Kosher lifestyle and her husband had started performing Skinnerian-like experiments on their infant daughter Sherry. Harriet left him, taking Sherry with her and covering up all traces of her former marriage.
Harriet soon remarried and Sherry grew up with her being told to pretend that he was her biological father. The lies and omissions that surrounded Sherry’s childhood colored her relationship with her mom, leading to anger, and what Sherry describes as an “indirect cruelty” toward her mother.
To learn more about Sherry and Harriet, read Sherry’s her new book, The Empathy Diaries, A Memoir, which explores her relationship with her mother.
Artwork by Paula Mangin (@PaulaBallah)
Music composed and performed by Andrea Perry
Host: Katie Hafner
Producer: Alice Hudson
Associate Producer: Sophie McNulty
The story of Harriet and Sherry is such a poignant reminder of the burdens our parents carry to protect us, and the hidden costs that come with those secrets. Turkle’s ability to articulate that 'indirect cruelty' born from childhood trauma is remarkable. For those of us who enjoy sharing deep-dive book reviews or personal reflections on platforms like Medium or Substack, For Free MarkFlow is a lifesaver. It’s perfect for converting my Markdown-based memoir reviews into polished Word documents whenever I need a professional output for my writing group
Sherry Turkle’s reflection on her mother is deeply moving and incredibly relatable for anyone navigating complex family dynamics. It’s fascinating to see how the 'lies and omissions' of her childhood actually paved the way for her profound work on empathy and technology. As I was taking notes on this podcast episode, I realized how much I prefer digital archiving for these personal insights. I’ve started using MarkdownCo Pro to turn these evocative articles into organized Markdown files—it makes my reading journals so much cleaner and easier to manage
Harriet’s story shows how personal decisions, even when made to protect, can leave lasting emotional echoes. Much like Ragdoll Hit, where unseen forces and sudden impacts shape the outcome, the hidden truths and omissions in Sherry’s childhood clearly influenced the dynamics of their relationship in profound ways.
This summary of Sherry Turkle's "The Empathy Diaries" sounds incredibly poignant, highlighting the complex layers of family secrecy and their impact on relationships. The idea of "indirect cruelty" really resonates, showing how omissions can be as powerful as actions. It makes me reflect on how foundational our early experiences are. Speaking of self-perception and first impressions, I recently came across an interesting tool, the Attractiveness Test, which uses AI to evaluate profile photos for LinkedIn or dating apps. It's fascinating how technology can offer insights into how we present ourselves, much like Sherry Turkle's work dissects human interaction.
This is such a compelling and poignant summary of Sherry Turkle's relationship with her mother, Harriet. The complexities of memory, omission, and love are beautifully captured. It really makes me want to delve into "The Empathy Diaries" to understand the full scope of their journey. For anyone looking for a unique creative outlet after such a thoughtful read, you might enjoy turning some of your own memories or even article-inspired ideas into art with the AI Pixel Generator. It offers a fresh perspective on digital creation.