 Technology
The Vision
Unless otherwise noted, |
It could only happen in a time and place like ours. We go out to supper because the microwave is broken. We can't fall asleep without checking our e-mail messages one last time. We get angry and blame our computer. Even during the day, we panic when the lights go out. The Problem We often at the same time want technology to be our savior and our scapegoat. When things do not happen as quickly and easily and free of weeds, foolishly we point a finger at the guilty machine. About a month ago, during a normal day at the office, I wanted to send a fax message of several pages to a particular customer. The first page transmitted and then I got an error alarm. I tried again. The alarm sounded after the first page just like the first time. After numerous attempts, it occurred to me that the receiving fax machine might not be "understanding" my fax machine's signal for the next page. At this occurrence, I then fed the sheets of paper into the machine by slipping each consecutive page behind its previous page as it rolled through the machine so that the message was sent as though it were one very long page. It worked. I won. And I was smarter than the fax machine. That small triumph was the highlight of my workday. In fairness to all innocent fax machines, not all fax machines are that "dumb." Why It Matters This technological dependence also promises absolution from our responsibilities. It helps us confuse information with understanding. Nuclear technology can tell us that we are able to utterly destroy whole cities and countries, but it cannot tell us if that is right. Medical technology will tell us that that we can transplant organs and map the entire human genome, but it will not tell us if we should. We are too dependent upon technology when we can no longer function without the latest gadgets. Many of us have lost and forgotten some very basic and useful skills. These simple skills can help us provide for our families and keep our homes. Some of these include cutting our hair; mending clothes, tool sharpening, gardening and preserving food, animal husbandry, butchering, letter writing, baking, and knitting. All of these require some simple tools, the same tools which people have used for many generations. A Matter of Obedience If the egalitarian and anonymous nature of the internet and the world wide web help us to be disrespectful to our elders, we may need to disconnect. If the jittery movements of television images train us toward impatience and a "that-is-so-this-morning" attitude (and we can find the remote control) we may need to tune out. When machines assist in making us soft to the necessary pain of discipline, we need to take control. Sometimes this is even going to mean removing that thing from our lives. The Way Back The way back will probably not be an easy one. Nor should we expect the journey to be quick. We can and should expect it to be hard work with sweat on our brows. It is going to be worth the honest effort. On the way back, we will learn to wisely discern the broad reaching benefits and consequences of our actions and thoughts. We will more clearly see what each technology helps us do. May we jump up from our laziness and cultivate wisdom, loyalty, and discipline.
Let us get a good grip on technology. Let us deliberately use our tools to love
and obey Christ our Savior. May we go out to gather and discover great fruits
of truth and beauty for His glory. |
