This is Your Brain on Social Media

Humans are messed up.

I read an information graphic this week online and thought it would be appropriate to report and discuss some of the information found through their research. Our source (cited at the bottom of the blog) explains that people are more interested in themselves than they are even money. It was once thought that money was the most powerful driving force for people to make decisions. The jury is still out on that, and this study would lead us to believe otherwise. I was startled by the fact represented on the second image - 56% of people said that they wouldn't take a job that doesn't allow social media access. This is crazy.

So here's the real question - what do we make of all of this? Well, the obsession with self that has encompassed our culture reminds me of some Bible verses. The good news is this, we've always been obsessed with ourselves - it's not just our generation (Judges 21:25 - In those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit). The bad news is that the Bible talks about how this obsession with our selves will destroy us. For example, in 2 Timothy 3, it says this, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy." I think, instead, it could be worded as follows, "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of their selfies." 

Obviously, to some degree I'm kidding with that last statement (or maybe I just don't want to offend any readers). After all, one of the fruits of the Spirit is "selfie-control," right? [Pause for laughter]. I think what it really comes down to is this - has humanity been as obsessed with itself in the past? Yes, I believe it has. Have they ever had a mechanism as addicting and powerful as worldwide connection and social media? No, perhaps they haven't - but the issue is still the same. The Gospel call is still to come and die. It will never be about us, but will always be about Jesus. We need to take a step back from caring about how many people 'like' us, and realize that Jesus told us that the world will actually hate us!

Social media can be an effective means of communicating with friends and family from far away. Short of that, however, I have a hard time justifying my posts unless I'm willing to admit that ultimately, it really is all about me getting gratification and attention. If you're reading this blog, do you have any thoughts?

Bibliography:

"This Is Your Brain on Social Media." Online College Courses. N.p., 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 05 Sept. 
            2014.