I have been a user of social media for a few years now: firstly Facebook because everybody else at theological college seemed to use it and latterly Twitter. I must confess that I am not a daily tweeter and just use it when I remember it is there; but I am sometimed on Facebook several times a day.
And of course social media represents only part of the time I spend online: there is the regular checking of emails for which some people seem to expect an instant response. I once had a very irate member of one of my congregations phone me and demand to know why I hadn't replied to her email. It turned out she had only sent it five minutes previously. She was absolutely incredulous when I told her I only checked my email every couple of hours - and I'm beginning to think that even checking that often is excessive.
It is not my intention to downplay the importance of social media or to claim that it isn't part of the "real world" since it very much is. Neither do I want to suggest that Christians shouldn't regularly use social media as it is clearly important that we engage and communicate with others about our faith in all the ways available to us. My reflection here is more concerned with the fact that there is a danger that the importance of our life online can overtake the importance of the rest of our lives.
It was reading, or rather the lack of it, that brought me to this conclusion. At one time, in an average week, I would read five or six books, including at least one light and one heavier theological book. Recently I've been lucky to get through one book in a week and two is good going. Considering what has changed over the years I realised that it was partly Facebook and partly the Internet in general that was taking from my reading time and the, actually, I much more enjoy burying my nose in a book than I do thinking of something fresh to post on Facebook, reading about the trivia of people's day to day lives or engaging in endless discussions that never seem to go anywhere.
I do like the random cute cat pictures though!
It also occurred to me that I am soendingtime chatting online to people instead of actually, you know, meeting them in person and sharing time with people who are actually physically present: whose expressions I can see, whose tone of voice I can hear. Yes, it takes more effort but it is ultimately much more rewarding.
I will not permanently abandon social media. I recognise it's importance and significance on society and the need for Christians to be present in these internet groups and forums. I actually see my being present in such media as a part of my Presbyteral calling. At the same time I am going to severely limit the time I spend online because I want to get back to the things that really give me joy as a human being, resting books and spending time with people who are physically present.
As a start to this I will be absent from Facebook and Twitter for the whole of Lent! Stopping completely for a while is the best way for me to start to reduce the time I spend online.
Similarly I will now only be checking my emails twice a day. If something is really urgent I do have a phone and a number to go with it.......
Maybe, as you've read this blog, you have thought yourself about the amount of time you spend online, especially using social media. Is there something you used to do that would feed you more as a person and that you would find more fulfilling?
It's worth thinking about!
