In my opinion, this is the perfect name for Google's new social network. 'Cause that's what it all is, isn't it? Just a fairly meaningless buzzing. Not that I scorn it or don't participate in any of it, but if you really step back and look, a lot of what gets posted is just that. Buzz. "I bought a new shirt today", "Just scooped some ice cream and I'm watching the olympics", and so on. We post this, and people comment.
There's good and bad about this, isn't there? It lets us keep in touch with so many more people. Hubby and I have good friends who are moving out of state soon, and we'll be able to keep up with them and the ministry they'll be doing in their new home soon. I know a couple people who are using a blog to post their readings of the bible and observations thereof. I follow a very famous blogger who is now using her blog as a ministry by talking through all the difficult things she and her husband have been through and what they've done to get through it, how they've leaned on God in many, many difficulties. There are good ways to use the internet, I know.
But then there's all those games and fluff. It has led many I know to take an 'electronic media' or 'social media' fast. It can take up a lot of time! I've gone there myself, to an extent. I've decided not to get my computer out when the kids are awake anymore; instead, I'll only do my online things (including banking and the like) when they're asleep or away. Sort of a half-fast, because I've noticed it taking away teaching and playing time between myself and my kids. And how am I supposed to live this part of my story, the stay-at-home-mom part, if I spend all my days online? I asked myself that today...
Anyway, all of that babble to come to my central point. I think there's a reason why all this Buzz draws us in. Why we have this desire to talk about every little thing that happens to us; to have our '15 minutes'. I'm reading a book by Donald Miller right now, it's called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It's very good. It speaks about how if we don't have a story to live, a conflict to resolve, a sacrifice to make, we're not really living. I think the draw of all this talking about ourselves is the need to feel like we're living our story.
Today in this book I read this: "I believe God wants us to create beautiful stories, and whatever it is that isn't God wants us to create meaningless stories, teaching the people around us that life just isn't worth living." Wow, huh? Maybe it doesn't affect everyone in this way, but for some of us, me included here, I think the internet is becoming this thing that will fill our lives with this noise, this Buzz, that crowds out our beautiful stories, the ones God wants us to live, and make us FEEL like we're living something important.
1 comment:
You made a lot of really good points. I read my Buzz stuff and I comment on what other people say sometimes, but I wish that certain people (who shall remain nameless) wouldn't post quite so much or about such random stuff. I mean yeah, it's funny, but we already do the funny thing in email and that turns into spam. I'd rather receive Buzzes from my brother to know if he's still sick, etc.
But that's a really good idea not to be online when your kids are around. When I have kids I will try to do the same.
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