A Need to Know Basis?

In what admittedly could be irony of the highest degree, I want to discuss (via my blog – on the computer), why technology (especially information technology, personal access to the internet), has reached a point of diminishing returns. In fact, it would not be hard to convince me that the internet never had an upside in the sense that it created at least as many problems as advantages, right from the start. This is coming from one who clearly understands the wonderful aspects of the web such as exposure to much that is edifying that otherwise may have remained hidden. But, as wonderful as that may be, I don't think it is worth the cost of negative exposure that is almost impossible to avoid.

For a long time I felt that I was born at least one generation too late (leave my family/friends out of the equation for the sake of the larger point). My feeling is that the 1940’s/50’s might have been the high-point where technology and morality meet. Meaning we had many “modern” conveniences well established (phone, washer/dryers, automobiles, plane travel, medical advances etc.), that made life more pleasant, and people still were infused with love of God, family, country; exhibiting a strong work ethic and hope for the future. Of course, we had many things still wrong such as more widespread (or at least open), acceptance of bigotry, drinking and smoking. I’m not sure these three things have actually decreased as opposed to just “going under the radar” or losing some of their panache. People of all eras are fallen sinners and find a myriad ways of hurting themselves and others, but I’m trying to establish a point where the “coaster” reaches the top before it starts hurtling down. As Robert Bork’s fantastic book Slouching Toward Gomorrah illustrates, we have been heading in this direction for a long time. I would suggest we are no longer slouching, but sprinting toward Gomorrah. Much of this can be laid at the doorstep of information technology.

Growing up in the 60’s (I just missed it!), information technology pretty much consisted of phone, radio, TV, and often only one of each in a household. Of course, as the decade moved on, it wasn’t unusual to find more than one of these items in a house. However, when the norm was only one of these items per household, you had the advantage of monitoring what was being viewed/heard/said, and (in the case of radio/tv), often it meant family time as all gathered to enjoy a program. I’m not giving total carte blanche to the programmers and broadcasters of the early eras, as even programming back then could often pander to the lowest common denominator. But only a fool or a liar would deny that those mediums today pander much worse trash than ever before. In addition, phones were for talking to someone when distance/time made in-person contact impractical or impossible.

Now phones are multi-media devices that put the internet (and all its snares), right at your fingertips. TVs and radios have hundreds of channels (many of them outright pornographic and reprobate in their programming). People will take me to task defending this “freedom” and pointing out the many “positives” of today’s programming (History channel and other “educational” type channels for instance), but it’s just a smoke screen. Anyone who would defend such a proliferation of garbage under the guise that there is some good, is only convicting themselves of their desire for the trash. These are the ones that make advertisers rich that promote reality shows, sitcoms, movies, UFC, and anything else that promotes promiscuity, violence, sloth, selfishness – pretty much the vast majority of programming. Any God-fearing sincere Christian would gladly go back to rabbit-ear antennae and 6 channels if it meant the elimination of the filth. The main reason that I am able to speak with knowledge of this subject is that as a Born-again, new creature in Christ; I’m in the world, but not of the world. Being in it, and the spiritual leader (and watchdog), of my family; it is my responsibility to be aware of the dangers and snares that confront us. We got rid of our cable almost 10 years ago, when our children were young; so I have put my money where my mouth is. Unfortunately, I work in an environment where cable is constantly available and watched (I have very little say in the matter), but it does allow me to stay more current on the downward spiral.

This leads me into the internet, which I will treat all-inclusive, via desk-top, or any wireless device (especially phones). Even internet (admittedly, almost exclusively negative from my perspective), had a more palatable beginning when homes had one computer that all had to share. But in a short time (as is typical with information technology), things changed; of course for the worse. More and more evil became more available on more and more different devices. Today, most families have multiple personal devices to pursue (typically), what John Colwell referred to in 1882 as “Little Foxes”; those little sins that people allow, as in their mind, they aren’t that bad. Whether these “little foxes” be gossip (reality TV), greed (reality TV), sloth (reality TV) – are we seeing a pattern here? And all manner of such that plasters the internet from You Tube to endless web-sites. I would like to think that Colwell would agree that nowadays people are carrying around not just little foxes but big wolves in their personal devices. People are not embarrassed to enjoy/show you all kinds of sin on their phone, from sex to violence. Not involving them of course (not that that doesn’t occur, but thank God I haven’t experienced it), but others involved in all forms of idiocy and reprobate behavior. It’s bad enough that anyone wants to see that, but why do you think I want to? I guess I better check my witness and ramp it up!

Don’t try to sell me on the advantages outweighing the disadvantages – it just isn’t so. The only advantage I will concede, would be expediency. And even then I don’t think getting information faster/easier is always better. People used to gather all the useful info. they needed from conversation, libraries, encyclopedias and such. In fact, the internet is simply a repository of all things gathered from these sources. We became a great nation, and reached the pinnacle of our “greatness” before the internet even existed. The argument could be made that the internet has contributed to our fall from greatness; certainly to our fall from Grace!

I have a 1930’s Remington typewriter that I would (and have), gladly use if that was the trade-off to make computers and the internet go away. I could still indulge my enjoyment of writing, but we would be unencumbered by all the instant “celebrities” (especially in their own minds), that exist today because of Twitter and blogs (yeah, me too – I’m very famous as I have maybe 6 followers including my family). I do this first and always to glorify my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, from whom all good things come. It gives me a vehicle to share my faith and my opinions (which I can be confident of, as they align with God’s Word).

Referring back to the end of my first paragraph, I will use the example of guns. Of course it’s a simplistic illustration, but I like simple. The world would be a better place without guns. I work in law enforcement, I own guns, but I am not a hypocrite. If guns didn’t exist, you wouldn’t have nuts killing large numbers of people in a short amount of time. It all comes down to that; there is no rebuttal to this. Yeah, you would still have murders and such, but you can’t conduct a mass killing on the scale we experience all too frequently with a club, knife, or bow and arrow; you just can’t. Same dynamic applies to the internet. You could not have mass exposure to all matter of sin without it. When men (almost exclusively; not boys or women or girls), had to go someplace to pursue their sin, you had less exposure to things (and even less or no exposure to types of things), then is available at the fingertips of any man, woman, or child who has a wireless device.

In the past, pursuing sin took effort; a good thing since people with a reprobate bent are often lazy. And in theory, a person might never even be exposed to something that could become a lifelong battle for them. But these days, you could “innocently” stumble onto a site that you would never intentionally seek out. Unfortunately, you can’t un-see something, and it could start a harmful pattern in one’s life. Information technology has brought the slime up to the surface when it used to be down in the dark where it belongs, so, on the balance, it’s not progress; it’s regression.

One of my modern heroes of the faith, John Macarthur, has made the point that too many people are exposed to too much tragedy, violence, and other negativity that a person could go an entire lifetime without experiencing; if it weren’t for the internet. Stuff that only people involved in the military, law enforcement, medical staff, etc. would have any knowledge of in the past. I agree. We have access 24/7  to instant tragedy or dysfunction; what is the benefit of this? Being aware of such calamity certainly has not decreased it's proliferation. I believe it's accelerated it!

A little self-disclosure before I finish. Yes, we too have multiple devices:  (2) desktops, laptop, tablet, (1) iphone, and (2) flip-phones. These are shared (as is our very modest plan of 600 mins, 2000 texts, 1 GB), between two adults and two teenagers). The iphone is mine and of course the other phones have no internet and are really only relegated to necessary use when we travel in different directions. We don’t participate in any kind of social media. We only have the second desktop due to upgrading our computer. It is seldom used. The laptop is my daughter’s and is essential as she writes her own Christian blog. The tablet was given to us. Our main desktop is in a common area and my wife and I are very aware of the usage on all devices. As I mentioned earlier; we have not had cable, dish, or any kind of television programming for almost ten years. So, in a sense, due to the times and culture we live in, some of these are necessary evils. The key is that we control them, they don’t control us. You can too!

It’s time to take out the trash.