Fasting from Media
What is the point in fasting from anything? Is it merely to detox for a moment only to jump back into what you were trying to escape from? What would keep anyone from just remaining in old habits with little to no care about what they gleaned from such a fast? These are some of the questions that plagued my mind before I started my two day fast from media and technology altogether. I did not want this to be something that was a mere exercise. In order for this activity to produce real reflection and life change, I needed to make it a spiritual endeavor. I wanted to be among God’s creation while I prayed and reflected on the grip that media has on me. My prayer was that the Lord would show me the ways that I put media before Him in my life.
I took my media fast to the mountains of Colorado to do what I love to do most: enjoy God’s creation and hike mountains. I’ve never been one to travel with much technology, especially when camping and hiking, but I saw symptoms of my withdrawal almost immediately on this trip. The plane ride was about 3 hours long, and I could not listen to music, podcasts, or watch tv while I was sitting there. I immediately noticed everyone around me; they were not facing the same dilemma. Everyone was plugged in, engaged only to what was in front of them. Parents ignored children, and friends acted as if they were utterly alone. The only person who spoke to me was the flight attendant taking my drink order. I had nothing to do except sleep or read a book, and since I cannot sleep on planes, the book found its way onto my lap as we streamed across the sky toward Denver. I did something that I had never done before on that flight; I read an entire book in 3 hours. It was the most fun I had during 3 hours of silence in my life.
Once I got to Colorado, it was not hard to stay off media. The clear air, beautiful snow-capped mountains, and tall spruce trees were all that I needed for entertainment. I did not want to forget why I was there, though: to seek the Lord and see where media has become idolatrous in my heart. I pondered and prayed about this over the next two days while I hiked a few mountains and spent time exploring the small town of Breckinridge. The Lord answered my prayers in more ways than I could have imagined. First, He showed me that I use media as a cure for boredom. I found myself having nothing to do after a long hike or before bed. All I could do was read The Cocktail Party by T.S. Elliot and the Scriptures. I quickly found myself deep into both as I tried to find a way to fill empty moments with something more meaningful than scrolling and searching for digital affirmation. The Lord showed me that I filled the empty moments in my life with things that only added to the void. I realize now that this is a sinful response to my circumstances. There is a difference between doing things I enjoy in moderation and merely leaving the pursuit of God on the back burner.
The Lord also answered my prayers in a way that I did not expect. I have always considered myself to be a social person, but I realized that human beings are only social when there is nothing more interesting on the screen in front of them. I noticed this when I ate at small diners and restaurants. I was the only person who was not glued to a device or tv screen of some kind. People rarely talked, and if they did, it was only to answer a question that required a simple yes or no. This saddened me to the point where I almost wanted to weep the loss of humanity. Is humanity being attached to technology like a car crash victim is connected to life-support? Without the comfort of media, what would become of us? I was burdened with these questions until I had a unique experience that I may never have again. I went to a pizza parlor and sat at a community table. There were about 8 of us, and none of us were on devices of any kind or watching the tv. We sat down and talked, we learned about each other; we shared a human connection that people try to replicate on a device. I found a few people who dared to live outside the social norm, people who dared to be truly human.
Unfortunately, my trip is over, and the media fast has ended. So how do I keep this from becoming a useless exercise and fall back into sinfully selfish habits? First of all, I need to purge my cell-phone of social media. It’s not healthy for me to have constant access to it or it to have continuous access to me. Second, I need to find people who are serious about filling empty time with meaningful things. Taking little moments of the day to read something, learn something, and engage with human beings face-to-face. Finally, I need to pray that the Lord will continue to show me what a world using technology as life-support will look like. Will we continue to feed on media to be refreshed, or will we pause, reconnect, and engage with our Creator who created humanity to be personal, not living in abstract through a social media account? My next media fast may be much sooner than I think.
