Posting this summer has been haphazard because I’ve been away visiting family. Our families don’t have internet access. So the only way I can get on is to find a hot-spot, usually at a coffee shop. But what I’ve discovered now as I did while I fasted from the internet and fb during lent is that I don’t miss it.
Our internet addictions have robbed us of the life teeming about us. It’s like we’ve entered Plato’s Cave. The world outside of the internet becomes the shadows. Addiction is a strong word. But, I’ll use it…even for myself.
It’s hard for us to conceive of people that spend little to no time on-line. But if I think of it, I know many such people. Most of them are family members, older and younger than me. They’re freer. I on the other hand work in an environment where part of my job is to correspond with people all day. Also, I am a writer, so sometimes I’m reading articles in the New York Times or other online venues, trolling for ideas and information.
But, I find it all vexing. Because of the temptation to spend my time doing easy research, or catching up with others in quick bursts, I live a less full life.
I’d rather write letters and have letters written to me.
But letter writing is fading away because people feel they know all there is to know about us. They see it on FB.
The other vexing thing, the temptation I find is, that I start comparing myself to other writers instead of following Jesus. It’s the comparison trap.
So as a spiritual discipline, for emotional and spiritual health, I am limiting my interent time now that I am home where I do have access.
Marlena,
Thanks for your post. I find a lot of useful wisdom in this. I wish you had been able to attend Wild Goose. Dudley Delphs (a vice president and publisher at Zondervan) gave a presentation on the 3 deadly sins of writers (envy, pride and wrath), and gave three Biblical antedotes. I need to type out those notes and send them around.
I hope your summer is restful.
Love you,
Lyndsey