Life in the digital village

Most of the youth today are in the « digital parlor » socializing with already friends they know and making further a number of them. In fact to a good number, it seems a sign of both civilization and maturity to get involved with the most recent sophisticated digital gadgets. No wonder they spend much in this milieu.

Dan, my good friend, perturbed me for not getting down well with the facebook! I in fact pitied him and later curiously searched his profile on facebook just for a miracle to find him there. But alas! “I have got nothing for you,” was the bold response.

Then a litany of questions raided my mind. Could he be afraid of the growing digital community? Why is he not interested yet he is a youth? What are the moral consequences of the digital community that Dan is running away from? Will this community someday die out? What’s its destiny? Are we secure in there? Are there health risks? What’s the position of the Church in matters of science and technology? What of the financial constraints involved in it…?

Three days later, answers started streaming.

No doubt the internet just like other technological products has great impact on modernity. Science and technology defines human history. Today, one cannot do without the make-ups, computers, cars, hospital facilities, piano, watch, electricity, bicycles, telephone, radio, etc. and still live a very comfortable life whether happy or not (that’s a different story for another day). They have become necessary in life to ease communication, transportation, education, nursing among many other things.

Yes life is sweet with all these things. But are we better off than the pre-technological era?

Life must have been very boring by then, isn’t it? But I am sure that to our fore relatives it was very comfortable, since we never read from history where they complained for not having sophisticated technological gadgets.

Nonetheless, technological revolution by itself is morally indifferent. Its application in daily life and consumption would then raise the moral questions. Used badly, it becomes destructive, used correctly, it becomes useful to human development. This is why the Church, as the custodian of faith and morals, would not let her flock’s faith and morals washed down by the man made things.

Faith is a gratuitous gift from God and should be nourished. The same God granted human beings the ability to conquer and subdue the world, and hence perpetuating the Divine plan and design. He gave us intellect.

The Church quiet aware of this revolution, has a moral and religious responsibility to guide and teach humanity in the proper use and disposal of the call to continue the work of Creator, science and technology as part of this work.

In so doing, she brings to consciousness the public catastrophe awaiting humanity in the immoral use of technology and the related products.

The net is one way in which human beings strive for autonomy, the bishops of the second Vatican Council recognized this fact. Autonomy in discovery and innovation, exploitation and ordering law of nature and values especially those held by religions.

Human beings want to put God aside so as to be “free” and autonomous; a freedom that is devoid of responsibility as its other side of the coin. The things of faith and those of science are God’s. The latter is a sign that human beings are indeed within the design and will of God, that is, the creatures that still are subduing the earth. Hence human beings cannot work alone without God’s intervention via religions.

As we continue the work of God, we ought to understand the meaning and value of the products we consumed are consuming and intend to consume. As youth, these products should help us pursue and fulfill to the end the vocation to Christian life. In themselves, they should not be stumbling blocks to this noble goal.

By being self conscious on their use, we transform not only ourselves but also the whole society and the digital village. Paradoxes of all kinds will always knit our social life but one ought to know that it’s what you are that matters, rather than what you have. Is it not like a leap into the dark?

Have a transformed time, will you.