As I began my trek through Sherry Turkle’s Alone Together last week, I have found myself moving from initial disappointment and dismay at her seeming preoccupation with the “problems†of hyperconnectivity (even the word “hyperconnectivity†suggests “too much†connection. and leads to the assumption that Turkle wants to jettison technology. She has said may times that she does not. She simply wants us to ask about and be mindful and curious about effects on our relationships to self and to each other) .
Further, I think there is an obvious need for the church to have a similar initiative to “MIT’s Initiative on Technology ad the Selfâ€, which Turkle directs. We need a pyscho-socio-theological study exploring the possible effects and experiences of an increasing number of “hyperconnected church peopleâ€. The conversations about “Online Worship†remind me of this constantly. I am VERY interested and enthused about the possibilities in extending our “tentacles of connection†to those outside the “physical worship placeâ€, but I am also VERY interested in asking the “how to†and “what to avoid†and “what to be cognizant of†issues. Like: is there a downside in diverting our attention away from those present in body? Will there be physically present worshippers who feel loss at the glances toward the “online participantsâ€, and to what extent are online worshippers “missing outâ€, and are those things which are missing important enough elements to justify a “tweak†or even a “rethinking†of our attempts to “worship onlineâ€?
Much more to come. Turkle’s case studies/examples seem to be causing a lot of people to dismiss her as “another of those Ludditesâ€. I would certainly not rush to that judgment. I agree that it can certainly be read that way, but that would be mostly wrong. She IS partly right. And as I think more about church and technology, if there is anybody that should be asking these careful, cautionary questions, it is a people such as faith communities that perceive a “calling†to be an alternative community, and that not everyone can just acquiesce with the early adopters and take it in stride. There is some mutual accountability to share with one another what relational vales we hold dear. They should strive to “keep upâ€, but we need to be patient, and above all, we need to understand one another.
I do too. I guess I would say that God is inthose connections in the same way he is in the rest of the world, with all its imperfections and pitfalls, and we continue to screw up and refuse to pay attention so often. So we are still left with the responsibility to keep alert.
I guess it's good to have a Turkle with all of us slappies running around. But I tend to see God more in those connections than not. Of course, I actively looking. Maybe that's the difference.