Chris- incredible article. I am so glad I stumbled across your newsletter. That said, I have a question. There are several Christian writers, such as Brett McCracken and Tony Reinke, whose opinions I value greatly, but I seem to separate with them when it comes to the extent one should or should not immerse themselves into the world of social media. Namely- it seems like their arguments would be to simply be "wiser" about social media and smartphones than to remove oneself from their influence. However, when I read articles like yours, or I spend time reading thinkers such as Sherry Turkle, Cal Newport, Adam Alter, etc., I realize: whether we want to use the word addiction or not, we *are* addicted to social media and smartphones. We've allowed ourselves to sign up for these changes without considering what was happening to us as a result. So I can't agree that if we are being *deformed* by this technology, our answer is to just...step away for a few weeks and come back? To me, that seems irresponsible at best. Am I wrong for feeling so strongly about this? I'm not a pastor, but when I look at addicts in any other context, the advice feels lacking at best.
It's a fair question. Thanks for your kind words. I hesitate to say "no social media" is the *only* right answer because I think that, broken at its core as it is, there are ways we can shine the light of the gospel in a very dark place. I think at the very least we all need to be a bit more aware of our relationship with the social internet and realize that all of us likely have a relationship that is in some degree of unhealth with it.
But I am not one to say that "the only option is to leave it entirely." If we didn't have a message of hope and a calling to kindness as followers of Christ, I would be able to advocate for leaving it more strongly. But I think there is great good that can come from sticking around and trying to do what we can to inject light into this place. It just is a lot more difficult than we realize, I think.
Thanks for the reply, Chris. That's where I'm conflicted, because if it was *just* a website, like it was in the beginning, I'd probably be less hardcore about it. But the more we've learned about the algorithms, data mining, persuasion tactics, the way the sites and apps are designed to monopolize our time and even mediate our reality, I can't find it in myself to encourage anyone to stay. If that makes sense? I think there's a point where if the world saw the church refrained from participating in this, it'd be an interesting witness.
Also, I'm not "liking" your post because I'm trying not to "like" anything as a personal commitment. But this is also one of my favorite pieces you've written to date.
I suspect they were saying the Tower of Babel was here to stay, too.
good point!
Chris- incredible article. I am so glad I stumbled across your newsletter. That said, I have a question. There are several Christian writers, such as Brett McCracken and Tony Reinke, whose opinions I value greatly, but I seem to separate with them when it comes to the extent one should or should not immerse themselves into the world of social media. Namely- it seems like their arguments would be to simply be "wiser" about social media and smartphones than to remove oneself from their influence. However, when I read articles like yours, or I spend time reading thinkers such as Sherry Turkle, Cal Newport, Adam Alter, etc., I realize: whether we want to use the word addiction or not, we *are* addicted to social media and smartphones. We've allowed ourselves to sign up for these changes without considering what was happening to us as a result. So I can't agree that if we are being *deformed* by this technology, our answer is to just...step away for a few weeks and come back? To me, that seems irresponsible at best. Am I wrong for feeling so strongly about this? I'm not a pastor, but when I look at addicts in any other context, the advice feels lacking at best.
It's a fair question. Thanks for your kind words. I hesitate to say "no social media" is the *only* right answer because I think that, broken at its core as it is, there are ways we can shine the light of the gospel in a very dark place. I think at the very least we all need to be a bit more aware of our relationship with the social internet and realize that all of us likely have a relationship that is in some degree of unhealth with it.
But I am not one to say that "the only option is to leave it entirely." If we didn't have a message of hope and a calling to kindness as followers of Christ, I would be able to advocate for leaving it more strongly. But I think there is great good that can come from sticking around and trying to do what we can to inject light into this place. It just is a lot more difficult than we realize, I think.
Thanks for the reply, Chris. That's where I'm conflicted, because if it was *just* a website, like it was in the beginning, I'd probably be less hardcore about it. But the more we've learned about the algorithms, data mining, persuasion tactics, the way the sites and apps are designed to monopolize our time and even mediate our reality, I can't find it in myself to encourage anyone to stay. If that makes sense? I think there's a point where if the world saw the church refrained from participating in this, it'd be an interesting witness.
Also, I'm not "liking" your post because I'm trying not to "like" anything as a personal commitment. But this is also one of my favorite pieces you've written to date.