Dissecting the Disconnection

We are investigating research that clearly shows that significant numbers of young people disconnect from faith and/or faith communities in their later teen years. There seem to be some commonly identified contributing reasons.

The first is that young people experience an overwhelming exposure to data, information, ideas, causes and viewpoints. They are prodigious consumers of popular culture. Processing this torrent of material is almost impossible; the bombardment is unrelenting.

Social media use algorithms that dictate what we see and experience; this results in a simplistic, binary view of society. A mindset that says ’if you don’t agree with us, then you oppose us.’ There is pressure to conform to a group view without any time to process the truth of that view or to consider any nuance.

Far from causing us to be more thoughtful, more able to critique constructively; we are forced into making instant reactions.

Neil Postman seemed to foresee some of these difficulties in his 1985 book, Amusing Ourselves to Death. His thesis was that there were two major dystopian British 20th century novels, George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. In the foreword he suggested:

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.

Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture.”

In practice it would appear that both fears have been realised; the present ‘cancel culture’ and intolerance reflects Orwell’s position; the overwhelming magnitude of information seems to ratify the view of Huxley.

“Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision… people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.”

Throwing up our hands in despair is no solution. We must persevere in working out how to equip ourselves and our young people to see truth clearly and live effectively and redemptively.

 

Blessings
Brian