The Internet is in danger of turning us all into addicts. Time spent online continues to rise among every segment of the world’s population, and becomes more natural to each emerging generation. We’re hyper-connected, playing our games, sharing our baby photos and watching TV together in collaborative ways that were unimaginable 30 years ago. Thanks to smartphones we check our social media accounts regularly ”“ and in some cases constantly. Their use has become habitual, rewarding, and incredibly hard to give up (even for Lent).
Calling this ‘Internet addiction’ however is slightly misleading. It’s not online media that’s the problem, so much as the way that we engage with it. As we do, we’re actually getting addicted to something else.
Dopamine is your brain’s in-built reward system. It’s a neurotransmitter released when you achieve something; when you complete a work task, submit an essay or complete a run. When it enters the right part of your brain, it makes you feel good; successful; purposeful. It can also be stimulated artificially, for instance through the consumption of nicotine or cocaine….
I haven’t yet read this article, but I’ve been reading the EXCELLENT series of pieces put out recently by Desiring God.
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/smartphone-addiction-and-our-spiritual-add
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-god-greater-than-google
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/letter-to-a-teen-unboxing-their-first-smartphone
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-cant-serve-god-and-entertainment
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/binge-eating-but-starving
I recognize all too well how time online changes me…, shortening my attention span, making me crave distraction or “news” when I’m trying to focus on other tasks, including prayer & Bible study. [One of the reasons I stick largely to using a paper Bible & paper journal … less temptation to click on something else…!]
But even if one successfully fights the time management & self-discipline issues (which I often fail at), there are other perhaps more subtle risks as to how Social media can cause us to crave “reputation” – likes, shares, retweets… Am I posting something to get attention? Am I so caught up in the “NOW” of small stuff that I spend less time thinking of God’s eternal ways?
May God help us be wise stewards of this incredible resource. There is so much potential for good, and yet also tremendous temptation and potential for great great harm too.