How important is it to stay relevant?
I'm not talking about churches. Or not just about churches. I'm talking about you, as an individual. How important is it to you to stay relevant, informed, current on every hashtag, trending topic, twitpic, RSS feed, Reddit, movie, show, fashion trend, tech gadget, super food, medical procedure, band, hair style, bestseller, religion, cause, etc.?
The truth is - I'm exhausted.
I used to be up on all the latest stuff. Once I got out of my bubble and figured out that there was a whole world I hadn't yet explored, I went a little crazy. I latched on to books, movies, television, and the internet as my teachers, sponging up all that they had to teach me. I knew who the best actors were, the respectable indie artists, the wannabes, the political referendas - if it was happening, I knew about it.
And then the internet really took off. And suddenly everyone had to know everyone else's business. In my mind, Twitter was the worst culprit, at least at first. You could instantly tell everyone the most inane things that popped into your head. But God forbid you say anything bad or meaningful or get on the wrong side of the mob. The court of public opinion is ruthless. They can elevate a mildly attractive Target employee to object of worship in fifteen minutes. They can heap so many death threats on you that you have to go into protective custody.
Read this.
I'm at a loss for what to call this phenomenon. It's people wanting to be part of the next big thing. But it's also people wanting to take down the other guy before he takes you down.
And it's everywhere. There is no way I can keep up with all of the information out there now. But I keep being told that I have to. What use am I to society if I don't know all about the latest celebrity romances, the newest cause? I have to weigh in on feminism, gun legislation, the environment, homosexuality - but I have to be on the right side, as defined by the media. And I'm not even a public figure. I don't work for a high profile organization, I don't have fans, I don't even have more than 10 readers of this blog.
I can't do it anymore. I can't keep consuming. I can't keep contributing to the noise. Partly, I'm terrified of someone taking something I say and twisting it to their advantage, dropping me down the rabbit hole in the process. But I'm also just tired. There are all these shows that I 'have to watch' or music that 'redefines the genre.' It never stops.
But I also can't not speak. If I stop speaking for Truth, if the Church withdraws, if honest people stop trying to shout over the din, then who will be left to lead people out of darkness? And I can't stop consuming. Life would get a bit dull. There are good things out there.
How do we achieve a balance? How do we remain in the world and consume what it has to offer without being dragged down by it? How do we remain separate and shun evil without becoming unable to talk to or relate to those we are called to bear witness to?
Does everyone inevitably come to this conclusion?
I don't know what the point of this post is. It kinda went everywhere. I think maybe I've just reached my saturation point.
I'm not talking about churches. Or not just about churches. I'm talking about you, as an individual. How important is it to you to stay relevant, informed, current on every hashtag, trending topic, twitpic, RSS feed, Reddit, movie, show, fashion trend, tech gadget, super food, medical procedure, band, hair style, bestseller, religion, cause, etc.?
The truth is - I'm exhausted.
I used to be up on all the latest stuff. Once I got out of my bubble and figured out that there was a whole world I hadn't yet explored, I went a little crazy. I latched on to books, movies, television, and the internet as my teachers, sponging up all that they had to teach me. I knew who the best actors were, the respectable indie artists, the wannabes, the political referendas - if it was happening, I knew about it.
And then the internet really took off. And suddenly everyone had to know everyone else's business. In my mind, Twitter was the worst culprit, at least at first. You could instantly tell everyone the most inane things that popped into your head. But God forbid you say anything bad or meaningful or get on the wrong side of the mob. The court of public opinion is ruthless. They can elevate a mildly attractive Target employee to object of worship in fifteen minutes. They can heap so many death threats on you that you have to go into protective custody.
Read this.
I'm at a loss for what to call this phenomenon. It's people wanting to be part of the next big thing. But it's also people wanting to take down the other guy before he takes you down.
And it's everywhere. There is no way I can keep up with all of the information out there now. But I keep being told that I have to. What use am I to society if I don't know all about the latest celebrity romances, the newest cause? I have to weigh in on feminism, gun legislation, the environment, homosexuality - but I have to be on the right side, as defined by the media. And I'm not even a public figure. I don't work for a high profile organization, I don't have fans, I don't even have more than 10 readers of this blog.
I can't do it anymore. I can't keep consuming. I can't keep contributing to the noise. Partly, I'm terrified of someone taking something I say and twisting it to their advantage, dropping me down the rabbit hole in the process. But I'm also just tired. There are all these shows that I 'have to watch' or music that 'redefines the genre.' It never stops.
But I also can't not speak. If I stop speaking for Truth, if the Church withdraws, if honest people stop trying to shout over the din, then who will be left to lead people out of darkness? And I can't stop consuming. Life would get a bit dull. There are good things out there.
How do we achieve a balance? How do we remain in the world and consume what it has to offer without being dragged down by it? How do we remain separate and shun evil without becoming unable to talk to or relate to those we are called to bear witness to?
Does everyone inevitably come to this conclusion?
I don't know what the point of this post is. It kinda went everywhere. I think maybe I've just reached my saturation point.
Yes! I've been feeling the same way lately...just to much input, with a large portion of t meaningless. Cris asked me yesterday if I'm giving up something for Lent. I'm considering giving up information overload.
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of the times when the promise of God's grace sustaining us becomes lived out. God knows the reality of our culture and what it has come to, and who we are in it and He knows what is required of us (not saying that being 'in the know' is necessarily what is required of us, by any means). Whether it be purposely NOT allowing ourselves to get to that point of over saturation, or feeling convicted TO know all that is going on for the betterment of the world and ultimately HIs kingdom, or even the conviction to find the balance while still knowing and making sure we aren't overwhelmed by it all - in all options in this scenario, I think this is the part of our lives (the technology generation) and this compartment of our beings where we will see His grace sustain us in where He is leading us.
ReplyDeleteYour writing draws me back every time, by the way...