Two things happened to me this week. One, I got into a dust-up on Twitter. Two, I read some pieces on what Tom Brokaw called, the Greatest Generation. This article attempts to converge the meaning of both into one blog post…
I am starting to think that Twitter, in Greek, means, “near occasion of sin.”
Has Twitter done more harm than good or more good than harm? I am not sure. Nor am I sure if Elon Musk’s purchase of the social media platform will make it better for society.
As toxic as Twitter has become, it is not the cause of political polarization that we see in society today. What Twitter has done is fan the flames into an uncontrollable and polarized mess by encouraging simultaneous monologues using disembodied words.
I am starting to think that Twitter in Greek means near occasion of sin. Click To Tweet As a social media platform, Twitter has fanned the flames into an uncontrollable mess, by using disembodied words, that encourage simultaneous monologues, driven by a polarizing algorithm. Click To Tweet
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
Everything Has Become Political
We may not want to admit it, especially in Canada, but politics has infiltrated every realm of life. Not one topic of conversation is immune from political nuance. It does not matter if that discussion takes place in a boardroom, classroom, or dining room. It used to be that one had to go looking for a political opponent, now they come to you. Almost every conversation online has the potential of turning political. Also, a growing number of in-person conversations, even within work-teams and families, are turning political.
Politics has infiltrated every realm of life. Almost every conversation online has the potential to turn political and growing numbers of in-person conversations, even within families, are turning political. Click To TweetFor example, your neighbor just bought a new Tesla. How does the conversation go? From new Tesla, to Elon Musk, to buying Twitter, to censorship. Politics in 3 steps. Or, your co-worker enters the meeting room and respectfully asks permission to remove his mask. A colleague responds, “Nobody has to wear a mask anymore so no need to ask permission.” Politics in 1 step. Recently, my daughter was asked to pray an intention during Sunday Mass. She was directed to pray for any group currently suffering from discrimination. Yikes?!? It is a good thing to pray for those being discriminated against but if you leave one group off the list, prayer itself can be perceived as discriminatory!!
Yep, politics pervades everything. Even close relationships are not immune from the political vortex. Each relationship is vulnerable to being vaporized by a single statement, regardless of how many years a relationship has matured. Simply disagreeing with someone’s view on science, religion, racism, or climate change can end a relationship.
Regardless of how many years a relationship has matured, each relationship is vulnerable to being vaporized. Simply disagreeing with someone’s view on science, religion, racism, or climate change can end a relationship. Click To TweetIn Search of Virtue
Every generation has its own share of men and women that radically choose to live the narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14) by manifesting heroic virtue. Most would agree that the ratio of honorable souls was higher within the generation born between 1910 and 1930. For this reason, Tom Brokaw referred to this cohort as, the Greatest Generation. These men and women were very acquainted with adversity, massive adversity, such as the horror of war and the Great Depression. These men and women went off to fight in the Big One, barely old enough to drive and not old enough to marry. They came back home and built families, communities, churches, businesses, and industries. In fact, the Greatest Generation built the Western world into a social, spiritual, and economic powerhouse. They knew the meaning of sacrifice, both in terms of material possessions and the sacrifice they and their peers made with their blood, sweat, and tears. The Greatest Generation were humble, they never bragged about what they had done or been through. They were loyal, patriotic, and level-headed. They were not made from different stuff, but they faced greater hardships and challenges, and rose above to overcome them all. They weren’t perfect, of course, but they were a cut above the rest in terms of virtuous living.
Measuring our Virtue on Twitter
What would the Greatest Generation think about the political polarization and culture wars of today? Would they be an active voice on Twitter? Would they consider it a big waste of time? The Greatest Generation rarely talked about the war, both because of the difficulty in remembering the horrors of it and from the humble sense that they had only done their duty. CS Lewis defined humility as, “Not thinking less of oneself but thinking of oneself less.” The Greatest Generation were humble to the core.
The Greatest Generation fought many battles but they didn’t talk much about politics. Figured it is impolite to do so. The Greatest Generation are known for their virtues, especially those virtues sorely lacking online today. Click To TweetThe Greatest Generation did a lot of fighting, overseas and elsewhere, but they didn’t talk much about politics. They figured it is impolite to do so. The Greatest Generation are known for their virtues, especially those virtues sorely lacking online today. Let us consider a few of these virtues and perhaps use this as an examination of conscience for our own social media activity:
- Humility: Modest opinion of one’s importance or rank.
- Modesty: Having a moderate estimation of one’s own abilities or value.
- Courteousness: Characterized by gracious consideration toward others.
- Temperance: Moderation and self-restraint in behavior or expression.
- Graciousness: Characterized by kindness, warmth, tact, mercy, compassion and acceptance.
- Meekness: Showing patience, humility, gentleness, and submission.
- Self-effacing: Not drawing attention to oneself (I laughed out loud when I thought of Instagram).
- Politeness: Consideration for others.
Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash
In Brokaw’s book, The Greatest Generation, he remembers his mother telling a story of a man named Gordon Larsen. Mr. Larson used to come to the post office where Brokaw’s mom worked. Larsen was cheerful and popular within the community. One day he stopped at the Post Office to complain about the noise and rowdiness of the teenagers from the night before. It had been Halloween. Brokaw’s mother was surprised at his tone and disposition since Larson was usually very positive and good natured. She asked him, “Oh Gordon, what were you doing when you were seventeen?” Gordon looked at her squarely in the eye and said, “I was landing at Guadalcanal.” He then turned and left the post office.
The Greatest Generation were forced to grow up a lot faster than most young people are today. While I would not wish war on anyone, going into battle at 18 or 19 years old, matured you quickly and definitively. One of the unfortunate social ills of contemporary society is what I call prolonged adolescence. In normal adolescence, young men and women mature from pre-teen to teen to young adult to adult from the ages of say, 12 to 21 years old. What we are seeing today is an extended period of time from 18 years old to 25 or even 30 years old, where young men and women receive all kinds of perks and privileges with no greater level of responsibility. That is a ticket to stunted character. I once knew a dad that woke up every day to make his son lunch. His son was 21.
Going into battle at 19, matured you quickly and definitively. One unfortunate social ill of contemporary society is what I call prolonged adolescence. Long periods of increasing privileges without adding additional responsibility. Click To TweetThe Lord Jesus Christ and the horror of war, fully reveal man to himself. In the presence of Jesus, who is all holy and the perfect man, we are confronted by the fallen condition of our humanity. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man” was the genuine words uttered by Peter upon his recognition of the Divine Presence of Jesus invading his life as a fisherman. Also, at war, we come to terms with our own fragility, malice and hatred. War confirms the truth that evil cuts through the center of every human heart. Evil does not exist over there, in the heart of our enemy, rather, the inclination to evil resides in every person. “For the heart is desperately wicked, who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
War proves that evil cuts through the center of every human heart. Evil does not exist over there, in the heart of our enemy, rather, the inclination to evil resides in every person. Click To TweetConfronting the Man in the Mirror
I would never compare the battles on social media with the Battle of the Bulge or Normandy. But social media and Twitter in particular, reveal war-like elements in the digital battleground. Pithy statements, emerging after a mere 10 seconds of thought, are compressed into 280 characters and sent flying around cyberspace like shrapnel to the soul. Politically motivated and hurtful comments become missiles launched from one end of the globe to the other within a few seconds. Direct hits are happening 24/7. Are we, as Christian leaders, taking part in these bloodless battles? Are we part of the solution or part of the problem? Are there better things we can do with our time, our intellect, our will and creativity?
I learned a hard lesson this week. I will look to the Greatest Generation for inspiration and guidance.
Twitter can reveal war-like elements in the digital battleground. Pithy statements, emerging after a mere 30 seconds of thought, are compressed into 280 characters and sent flying around cyberspace like shrapnel to the soul. Click To TweetFeature Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash