It occurred to me today that we live in a world that seems to be completely constructed around our own personal entertainment. There are as many galaxies as there are people, with each one at our own respective center, watching everything spin around us for our own amusement. I'm not talking about simple self-centereredness - that's as old as human nature itself. I'm talking about what fuels that fire. And I think we've come to a place where the need for entertainment has made us more narcissistic than any generation before us.
It's not all our fault. We can blame technology for some of our need to be pandered to. We are the first generation truly raised by television. We were subdued with videos as infants, babysat by video games as kids and "kept out of trouble" through endless adolescent hours on the web. If you think this hasn't resulted in a generation of people who need to be constantly stimulated and distracted, check out the folks in the line at the grocery store next time you're there:
Step 1. Approach checkout line.
Step 2. Survey length of line and estimate time they'll spend waiting.
Step 3. Obligatory momentary pause.
Step 4. Engage smart phone.
Generations before us told us that television would rot our brains, and they were wrong. Our brains aren't rotten - they are just addicted. We flock to screens like fish to feed. We seem to need minutes of mindless pandering as much as solid sleep to recharge from a long day.
Now don't take me to the ultimate extreme - I'm not saying all entertainment is evil. I'm saying that it becomes evil when you need it. When it becomes such a fundamental part of your day that any time spent without distraction leaves you searching for something to amuse you, entertainment has started to take up the wrong place in your life. When you spend more time interacting with the screen of your computer, iphone or tv than your family and friends - it's a problem.
So what's so bad about this sickness, and what's the cure?
Well, the problem is that this addiction, like all addictions, plays right into Satan's hands.
"Really?" you're thinking, "Satan? I'm just spending my weeknights watching sitcoms. I'm not hurting anyone. I can't even possibly be sinning."
No, you're probably not. But the thing is - you're not doing anything. You're not helping anyone - not even yourself. Satan doesn't have to have us strung out on meth or drunk in a gutter to keep us sidelined during our brief time in this world. He can render us just as ineffective by keeping us glued to our Macbook or the couch. He knows he can't destroy us - but can sure as hell distract us.
And the diagnoses is the cure. It's that simple. Look at your day. How much of it (time, effort, money) is focused on keeping yourself entertained? Identify that time. Then do something. Anything. Anything that isn't about you. Help someone's day become better. Serve them. Accomplish something.
In the end we'll find that life is better lived when we are less worried about passing time and more focused on making seconds count.
No comments:
Post a Comment