The power of ownership

There was a fascinating couplet of articles in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend (first weekend in June, 2010) written by two guys with competing axes to grind. One (Nicholas Carr) argues that the Internet is making people dumber; the other (Clay Shirky) thinks that the Internet is making us smarter.

The articles are getting a lot of play in a lot of places. I’ve even seen the issue debated on a fitness site I frequent (www.crossfit.com).

There are decent points made on each side, but, on reading the articles, I came away with the following: The Internet is a thing. Like all things, it must be managed. Managed poorly, it will be destructive. Managed wisely it will be a blessing.

Carr’s article is based on serious research that tells us that the brain is actually “re-mapped” through the sensory overload that comes our way through the Internet. Because of the tempting distractedness that comes with the Internet, we think differently and (Carr, asserts) more shallowly.

Shirky’s piece looks at the unimaginably rich treasure of information on the Internet and sees the blessings of increased learning. At the fingertips of anyone with access to the web is a goodly percentage of the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of mankind.

Both articles are persuasively written. But whichever one of them is correct in your case or in mine is largely dependent on the choices we make as we come to the Internet.

Yes, the Internet can make us smarter - but Shirky admits that more people visit porn sites than www.britannica.com.

Yes, the Internet can make us dumber - but a disciplined approach to the World Wide Web that refuses the temptation to be co-opted into a 90 second sound bite approach to learning will enable us to think deeply, even while online.

The issue is ownership. Personal ownership of our mental life will determine whether the Internet enhances or degrades, benefits or cheapens, adds value or takes away value.

Noticing a tremendous tendency in myself toward distraction I’m greatly limiting my own exposure to the Internet these days and am finding increased capacity for intentional reading and writing (no ‘rithmetic!) and engagement with people. This new resolve is not perfect, but I do notice that when I stick to it, the productivity results are encouraging.

Intentionality and purposefulness and ownership are critical to mental acuity, physical fitness, emotional health, relational wholeness - and, of course, spiritual vitality.

Any old excuse will do when looking for a reason to explain out-of-shapeness in any arena of life. Only when I’m willing to point the accusing finger back at myself and OWN my own behavior is there the possibility of real change.

It ain’t the Internet. It ain’t the lack of time to exercise. It’s ain’t the difficulty of the job or the difficulty of the people I live with. It’s my ownership of the challenge that will determine my forward progress.

And in the most important area of life there is, the same holds true. The vitality of my walk with God is dependent on my pursuit of the God who has proven His passionate pursuit of me by the cross of Jesus. My response to Him through:
· prayer,
· meditation on His Word and obedience to that Word, and
· engagement with others on the same journey toward spiritual health

will result in the kind of relationship with God I long to enjoy. As James promises, [4:7] Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.