The Internet IS the Antichrist.
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I check out my friend Angela's blog every day, and today she said she's taking a break. She says there is too much depressing, sex-saturated news stories, blog posts and Facebook soft porn photos of people she knows. I know what she's talking about. It all gets to be too much and though everyone is talking, things just seem to be getting worse.
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Periodically I write about living online and all of the foibles of Internet addicts - including my own. I dare say many of us are in denial that we are addicted - I know I am. Truth be told, I never miss a day blogging - even when I say, "I'll be offline for the day." But that usually means I'll have a post ready by sunset. Some bloggers literally live online - count the daily posts and twitters.
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Anyway - experts are checking in on how it is all going - the social networking thing, that is. Angela may have some support for her moratorium...
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"The way in which people frantically communicate online via Twitter, Facebook and instant messaging can be seen as a form of modern madness, according to a leading American sociologist.
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"A behaviour that has become typical may still express the problems that once caused us to see it as pathological," MIT professor Sherry Turkle writes in her new book, Alone Together, which is leading an attack on the information age.
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Turkle's thesis is simple: technology is threatening to dominate our lives and make us less human. Under the illusion of allowing us to communicate better, it is actually isolating us from real human interactions in a cyber-reality that is a poor imitation of the real world." - Finish reading.
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Blogging, Twittering, inter-Face-booking and web browsing all day and night is not exactly a life, much less a real job - no matter how much your followers/friends box, wishlist and donation bucket gets filled. Con-job might be a better word for one's virtual reality existence on one's imaginary digital continent.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteIf I leave a comment saying that I totally relate, that would mean that I've completely missed the point, wouldn't it?
It depends on what continent you are on.
ReplyDeleteI'm not on Twitter, and I pretty much limit my Facebook use to stay in touch with friends and family who live at a distance. However I have noticed that time can fly by when I am surfing and checking blogs, and I wonder sometimes if I need to make better use of my time. I could call it "entertainment", except that often it disturbs my peace of mind and distracts me from things that I need to take care of. I could do "cold turkey", except that I'd probably just find other ways to waste time. At the end of life I'll have to render an account of how I spent time and it won't be pretty.
ReplyDelete"...and Facebook soft porn photos of people she knows..." YIKES! No thank you. And on that note, how DARE someone post a racy picture of themselves as their profile picture and then befriend clergy?? Someone explain that to me.
ReplyDeleteBlogging and FB have their pros and cons. Too much of both or either one, and you've made a tremendous mistake at the expense of your health, both mental and physical.
Who Tom - who? Did Cathy post a racy photo?
ReplyDeleteTest your addiction...
ReplyDeleteUnplug and go camping for a weekend, preferably up in the nmountains where the cell phones don't work...see just how long it takes for your teenagers (and you) to go into meltdown :)
Primitive camping is even MORE fun...see how teenage girls react with they can't have their three times daily showers and blow dryers :) Their reaction to pit toilets is video-worthy :)
Let the cops know what you are doing ahead of time so you don't get arrested for child abuse :)
Sara
P.S. We have annual Carmelite Silent Retreat coming up in April..always interesting to see folks going through withdrawal..no phones,no computers..lovely mountain retreat :) I even leave mu iPod at home...
ReplyDeleteNice place to read Archbishop Fulton Sheen when my brain gets overloaded on Carmelite stuff.
Sara
Wish I lived closer, Sara. We're so alike.
ReplyDeleteI am limiting my time checking blogs.....but realistically, it just means I'm reading faster!
Everyone should read this AP story asap -- google it to get the full article:
Pope to Catholics online: It's not just about hits
(AP) – 2 hours ago
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI told Catholic bloggers and Facebook and YouTube users Monday to be respectful of others when spreading the Gospel online and not to see their ultimate goal as getting as many online hits as possible.
Echoing concerns in the U.S. about the need to root out online vitriol, Benedict called for the faithful to adopt a "Christian style presence" online that is responsible, honest and discreet
"We must be aware that the truth which we long to share does not derive its worth from its 'popularity' or from the amount of attention it receives," Benedict wrote in his annual message for the church's World Day of Social Communications.
"The proclamation of the Gospel requires a communication which is at once respectful and sensitive."
Benedict didn't name names, but the head of the Vatican's social communications office, Archbishop Claudio Celli, said it was certainly correct to direct the pope's exhortation to some conservative Catholic blogs, YouTube channels and sites which, with some vehemence, criticize bishops, public officials and policies they consider not Catholic enough.
Thanks Michael - I read it and posted it.
ReplyDeleteI recommend the marvellous Google Chrome stayfocusd extension.
ReplyDeleteIt's an excellent substitute for willpower.