‘All things are lawful’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful’, but not all things build up. Do not seek your own advantage, but that of others.

—1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NRSV)

The Social Dilemma

So this week at our Healthy Living Group we discussed a movie we’d watched called The Social Dilemma.
It’s a documentary on Netflix about Social Networks and how we use them (or rather, how they’re using us). I don’t know that there was anything in the documentary that we didn’t already know, but it’s presented with a fresh urgency that’s meant to spark conversation.

It’s also meant to affect our habits, and it affected mine in a big way! I deleted Facebook and Instagram from my smart phone immediately. I’m not cancelling my accounts, but I am going to start limiting my reliance on these services. Why should I do such a thing? Well, in the documentary, they are portrayed as companies that sell not only your data, but also your attention, including your shifts in attention that lead you to spend money on different goods and services online.

Haven’t We Heard This Before?

How is this different from magazines and TV? Really, it’s not that different, except that our Smart Phones are always with us, and we’re always using them to connect to the world. We trust them in a way that we don’t trust our television. We assume that what’s in that phone is working for me to help me do things better. And sometimes they really are!

Our quote above from 1st Corinthians reminds me that most things are not inherently good or evil. I get many benefits from having a presence online. I have access to goods and opportunities and chances to connect with folks who are important to me. I get to share my thoughts online, right here in this blog. I get to remind people that God is still speaking, and that God is still thinking about us and caring for us. But I should also be following verse 24 in that passage: “Do not seek your own advantage, but that of others.”

My Problem

My social media habits on my phone are mostly about me, getting feedback that people are thinking about me. But how does that build them up? How does that send a message to others that they are valued, and that I want to support their work? Often, I get better results with that by calling people and telling them than I ever would on Facebook.

So, as Christians, we are privileged to make moral choices informed by scripture. For me, this verse reminds me that not all online services are bad or wrong, but I have to choose to use them in a way that builds others up. Consider for you what your response should be. You might need to delete these services if you’re prone to obsessing over them. On the other hand, maybe thinking this through will bring you to a place of peace where you can choose to use them better.

Check out The Social Dilemma, and let me know what you think!