We live in a more technologically connected world, but many of our young people are disconnected from reality and from one another. We have been doing a good job of helping people be more connected through modern technological means, but the people themselves have been far from each other because they have lost their common humanity. It seems like we are somehow living in our own little (or bigger) bubbles, circles, or alternative realities but are very disconnected from the greater reality. It has become easier to speak out and slash at each other behind the computer, tablet, phone, or electronic screens when we disagree but we cannot sit down to actively learn, acknowledge, listen, change, and expand our perspectives to understand reality that is much greater, deeper, and grander and ourselves and inherent blind spots.
I have heard from many parents of young children and teenagers who have to find creative ways to communicate and talk with their children in such a technologically dependent world. While it seems to be easier to send a text or message to young people and receive a short reply, it takes intentional efforts to truly communicate with them. Each and every single opportunity is met with awkwardness and resistance, too! It seems like when people are occupied with technology, its social media options, alternative reality, and apparent connectivity, they become more disconnected from one another.
Our young people get so frustrated and irritated when they are forced to be removed from that occupied little world. The first moments are very awkward because they tend to be negatively reacting to what they are used to, “robbed” or taken away from them, and forced to do something outside of their own comfort zones. When removed from their comfortable screen time, virtual reality, and apparent “connections,” they tend to immediately react in varied negative ways. It does take a lot of time to calm down and be humanly connected again. It takes a lot of effort to disconnect from one’s comfort zone, be in touch, and connect with one another as human beings. It takes a lot of humanity to be actual, connecting, empathetic, and kind to each other and to be present with one another.
Perhaps in a very extreme way, what is going on now is like what several movies tried to portray in the past, including the Matrix series as well as Disney‘s animated Wall-E. We have come to be so dependent and connected with electronics that we have made virtual bubbles, manufactured viewpoints, or egocentric realities as if they are the only ones that are real. We have become more intolerant and judgmental of others who do not share our inner circle status, perspective, or worldview. It has been easier to be vocal because it is easier to tell other people how we feel instead of trying to listen, communicate, and open up ourselves in the presence of each other. It is sad and disturbing at times, too, that we would rather be glued, attached, and dependent on virtual, self-made, or egocentric realities instead of trying to understand, seek, and embrace the truth.
I find it very sad that we would rather listen to popular opinions, influencing voices and personalities, likable celebrities, or like-minded politicians instead of seeking deeper, transcendental, and eternal reality and values. Nonetheless, in the day and age of self-identification, self-centeredness thoughts, and social experimentation, we often think that we have the freedom to create, identify, and do whatever we want. We would rather want to listen to like-minded voices, opinions, ideologies, and whatever we would like to be or think instead of the truth. We tend to think that we have the right to be whatever we think we are if we believe we are! We think that we are the principal actors and creators of our own self, “I think, therefore I am.” (cf. Rene Descartes)
As a matter of fact, this postmodern error began with the French philosopher Rene Descartes. Even though he talked about God in his works, the Almighty was often treated as the secondary, affirmative principle that supports the self-will of the thinker. In the permeating and sprouting spirit of the Enlightenment Age, he began the mainstream thoughts that one wills oneself in creating, defining, and dictating how one perceives the world and how one thinks of how one is.
As time goes by, God has been pushed farther and farther away as the small(er) secondary cause—only there when we need Him and only exist to affirm or grant what we want—because we have become a people and society that only cares about our individualistic selves. We can see the detrimental effects of this way of thinking everywhere because we have become more of a rootless, culture-less, family-less, broken, and self-centered society.
We can see these things happening before our eyes by how anonymous groups and voices try to shape society through popular opinions and trends. They do not happen overnight, but people can pontificate anything and everything through slow indoctrination, loosening of morality, relativizing matters, and getting enough support from academic and popular circles. If things are repeated and supported enough, they will become “true” to typical listeners and audiences. We are so prone as a society to buy into what these anonymous voices are saying because they are popular or presented as “true” instead of seeking the real truths. It is like us who are locked and chained against the wall and trying to interpret things from the shadows we see instead of seeking true liberation and freedom in Christ to see the highest good and truth. (cf. Plato, The Republic, “Socrates’ Analogy of the Cave”)
So the question is, are we allowing ourselves to be infected and affected by the things we cannot see, or are we seeking the highest good by eternal, everlasting, and real standards? One of the hardest things for us to admit is that we do not know it all, nor are we really in control as we thought we would. As social beings, it is very easy for us to go through life and be shaped by social pressures, influences, trends, and opinions without really taking the time to reflect on what is really going on and seek higher truths than what is presented. There are many ways to say and present things, yet we have to take the time to analyze and think about the motive, underlying message, and presupposition. Are they aligned with God and His eternal truths or simply appealing messages and trendy matters? Again, we might be uncomfortable and reactive to them at first, but if we keep being bombarded and surrounded by them, they can easily become a part of us and we simply cope with them. Sins, false opinions, social pressures, ideological trends, and the like do not happen just one day or can affect us in a short time, but with persistence and time, they slowly seep in and affect us.
Humanly speaking, we can look around and have a basic knowledge of where we come from. But much more important than that, it is important that we know where we come from biblically, theologically, and soteriologically speaking! Simply put, we need to understand that we are not a product of our own making or self-identification. We were made, formed, loved into being and given life by the Almighty. We are not products of some random or coincidental chance, for each of us has a history that begins with God. Even before we were formed in our mother’s womb, He knows, loves, and wills us into being with His providential grace. Therefore, our history is one that is theocentric and grace-filled, and that is why we can only understand and know who we are in light of His love for us. Who we are and what we are called to become have to be understood in relationship to Him, who has willed, watched, and guided us in our life journey. We can spend our whole life trying to figure out what we want to be by ourselves, but we will just end up wearing different facades, masks, and self-made instruments to present ourselves to everyone else as we think they would like us to be without knowing who we truly are. To truly love is to be who we are and to love as God loves us!
Once we know our purpose, we understand our vocation and identity, hence able to understand, reflect, pray, discern, and make decisions based on both faith and reason that are good, in alignment with the truth, salvation history, the Church‘s teachings, and wonderful examples from the lives of the saints. Therefore, when we know who we are and what we are called to be in the faith, we allow that faith to be integrated, enlivened, actively be the center of our rational, intellectual, human, and holistic exchanges of words and actions, choices, thoughts, interactions, and life itself. We speak, share, and lift our hearts up to the life that is given to us by God so we can make right, proper, just, equitable, and loving choices for the greater good and salvation of all.
In all things, let us learn to reflect and discern all things through the lenses of intellect and belief as we try to understand all things through the original purpose, meaning, mission, and vocation given to us by the Creator. We become bored and cynical when we are lost without knowing what is real, true, and transcendental compared to the things around us! Nonetheless, when we take the time to pray and are willing to reflect, know, and discern all things in God, we become more at peace with ourselves and others. All these things can only be answered when we spend the time to get to know the Lord through prayer by using all things to lift up our hearts from the mundaneness of this world and to spend time well in seeking, loving, and living His will for us.
Therefore, let us never stop loving the truth, especially the truth that comes from the Almighty, hence letting this loving truth set us free! What makes us human beings is how we understand and know ourselves in the Lord. What makes us truly socially and humanly connected are our personal abilities and intentional desires to be kind, caring, and empathetic. If we are truly open to reality that is greater than ourselves, we will be able to understand and know who we are and how we are truly connected with one another. Let us never lose our humanity and use our God-given gifts to support and accompany each other on our faith journey. We do have the freedom to make that personal choice to truly and personally be connected with Him and with one another.
I Thirst (John 19:28) with Father Khoi 