Sunday, February 12, 2006

Letter submitted to The Daily Camera on Internet Addiction

Thanks to Elizabeth Mattern Clark for her good article on Internet addiction. Humans are prone to excess, obsession, and addiction--with or without technological assistance. And whatever overcomes us becomes our master and we its slaves. Part of the problem the Internet is that many do not realize that the very form or nature of the medium has intrinsic limits and dangers. Living too much in a disembodied world saturated by images and high speed information transfer may disorient our consciousness and remove us from the given goodness of the unplugged and the unmediated world. Thus we forget to attend to our souls in silence, converse with friends, and enjoy creation for what it is.

4 comments:

Ray said...

I especially liked the comment that voracious reading could also be considered an addiction. Would that we were all so afflicted.

C. Stirling Bartholomew said...

"voracious reading could also be considered an addiction"

If you have no TV, no radio, and your stereo broke down a decade ago and you don't own a iPod, then what is there to do but read?

Blog surfing seems to be habit forming. I have never post to my own blog but I am rapidly becoming a blog junkie.

Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D. said...

Being addicted to reading is like being addicted to breathing.

Greg Arthur said...

Dr. Groothuis, I remember having several discussions about the role of technology and media during one of your classes at Denver Seminary. Dave Terpstra directed me to your blog and I must say it is good to know you are still the finest curmudgeon I have ever know. I recently read a book by Shane Hipps called, The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture. Seemed to be almost a more modern version of some of Mcluhan's writings, although a bit more enjoyable to read. It is written by a guy who is part of Emergent. Found some of his thoughts very thought provoking. You should check it.

Blessings-
Greg

www.gregarthur.wordpress.com