This is part 4 in a series of posts.
Part 1: Introduction | Part 2 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Godliness | Part 3 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Relationships | Part 4 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Stewardship | Part 5 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Joy & Peace in Christ | Part 6: Why is Social Media & Technology so Addicting? | Part 7: Applications
This material was first presented in a talk at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. Watch it here.
Not only does technology effect our pursuit of godliness (part 2) and relationships (part 3) it also effects our work and our stewardship of the time God has given us.
Paul says this in Ephesians 5:15-16, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Tony Reinke writes, “We don’t have time to kill, but time to redeem.”[1] But in the final analysis of things, does the way we use technology help us make the most of the time?
Productivity/Focus:
It cannot be denied that technology has made us more productive in many ways. Yet, many experience diminishing returns with technology use.
It’s significant that some of the best writers and scientists have credited some of their greatest achievements to turning off Wi-Fi.[2]
Nicholas Carr writes in his book The Shallows that being on the internet causes our mind to constantly switch between different statements and information. These “switching costs” hurts our comprehension ability and can impede us from thinking deeply or creatively.[3]
As Carr writes, “the new seizes our attention only to scatter it.”[4]
Time away from the internet or our phones encourages focus. Studies show that quiet and reading cultivates attentiveness.[5]
William Powers in his book Hamlet’s Blackberry stresses the benefits of reading a paper copy of a book over an electronic copy. Not only is it more tactile and tangible making it easier to focus and remember it, but “in a multitasking world where pure focus is harder and harder to come by, paper’s seclusion from the Web is an emerging strength.”[6]
Neil Postman in his book Amusing Ourselves to Death writes that virtually every scholar for the past 400 years has concluded that the process of reading encourages clearer rational thought and clarity of focus.[7] Tony Reinke similarly says that reading books over a sustained period develops our ability to think more logically and wisely.[8] Brett McCracken argues that the speed of the news cycle combined with our decreasing capacity for slow, careful thinking makes us more gullible to believe fake news and spread it.[9] In a rush to express outrage about the latest headlines we forsake prudence, patience and wisdom.
All of this is the reason that one of the main applications Sherry Turkle draws out for us today is to make “unitasking” the next big thing.[10] Our minds are scattered by constant internet and phone use and it is harmful.
I can personally attest to this. When I open my phone I’m bombarded by information throwing my attention span in a dozen different directions, but when I turn my phone off, pray, read, even write out a to-do list on paper, I immediately feel more at peace and more focused and in the end more productive.
Jesus tells us to work while it is day because night is coming. Is the way you are using technology and social media helping you to obey this command?
In the next post we’ll look at how social media and technology effect us emotionally including the joy we are promised in Christ.
Part 1: Introduction | Part 2 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Godliness | Part 3 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Relationships | Part 4 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Stewardship | Part 5 – Biblical Principles at Stake: Joy & Peace in Christ | Part 6: Why is Social Media & Technology so Addicting? | Part 7: Applications
[1] Reinke, 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You. 180.
[2] Turkle, Reclaiming Conversation. 215.
[3] Nicholas Carr, The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2010). 119.
[4] Carr. 118.
[5] Carr. 104.
[6] William Powers, Hamlet’s BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age, Reprint edition (Harper Perennial, 2011). 216.
[7] Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (New York: Penguin Books, 2005). 51.
[8] Reinke, 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You. 82.
[9] McCracken, The Wisdom Pyramid. 46.
[10] Turkle, Reclaiming Conversation. 216.
Mike McGregor
Mike McGregor (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @m5mcgregor.
