Okay, so that’s not grammatically correct.  (Media is technically plural.)  But we’re talking here about media as a concept.  Tech usage.  Screen time.  Etc.

There’s a tendency to either think “newer is better” or “newer is bad,” rather than considering new developments on their own merits (and asking ourselves what we may be missing by setting aside the old).  Particularly in conservative circles, I see a lot of talk about how television is bad for families, video games are a damaging waste of time, and social media has replaced real human interaction.  The problem with this view is that it isn’t balanced.  All of these things can be all of these things.  But used thoughtfully in moderation, they aren’t necessarily.

Television

Comcast just did a study on television viewing and marriage.  Granted, Comcast is not the most objective source.  And the study was done on the internet which, in my opinion, is likely to skew the results.  (The internet being a higher-tech method than, say, telephone or paper surveys, I think there’s inherently some skewing toward those who favor technology.)  Still, we can take away some general or rough observations.

Some of the highlights from the survey include the following:

• 66% of couples (almost 75% of millennial couples) say shared television-watching has strengthened their relationships.
• Couples who watch television more than 5 hours a week cuddle more than couples who don’t.
• Almost 3/4 of couples have inside jokes about “their” shows.

We can quibble over some of those numbers.  And we can point out that there are other factors that may be negative and offset these to some degree.  But we can also take away from this that, at least for some couples, television-viewing can serve as a bonding experience.

I know this has been the case in my home.  I’m not suggesting that television is the best or only way to connect.  I’m definitely not suggesting we should let television completely displace other, more established pursuits.  (We’re all still avid readers here, for instance.)  But watching certain shows together — either as a couple or as a family — is a valid shared hobby.

If we’re using television to avoid connection, that’s not good.  If it’s mindless, that’s probably not good.  But I know that for us, we cuddle side-by-side to share a story together and we talk about it, and we laugh together and we think together.  In short, it provides content over which we do connect, rather than keeping us from connecting.  (It also provides conversation starters for extended family and friends who watch the same shows, fostering discussion and connection there, too.)

If you’re a television watcher, ask yourself whether your viewing habits are encouraging connection and relationships or discouraging these things.

Video Games

Perhaps even more commonly than I hear that television is bad, I hear that video games are a damaging waste of time.  This isn’t completely unfounded.  In particular, I think we have reason to be concerned about what video games are displacing.  Reading has its own unique benefits, and physical activity is something many of us are lacking.  But the idea that video games have nothing of value to offer is uninformed bias.  I won’t get into too much detail (someday I may dedicate a post to this), but moderate video game use has been shown, among other things, to:

• improve the outlook of children with chronic illnesses
• hone decision-making skills
• improve executive function (This means it actually counters the issues that underlie ADD.)

At my house, video games are a mixed bag.  My children can get a little too into their games and need some strong encouragement to spread their energies among other things, too.  But they also learn things like eye-hand coordination, and trying again when they fall short.  And I don’t know if this is just an oddity among my children, but they use their video games as inspiration for imaginative play and creative writing, as well.  (We have stories set in the world of The Legend of Zelda games.)  Computer-based video games have taught my children about ancient history and other academic topics.

Video games certainly aren’t the only means for learning these things, and they certainly aren’t essential!  (And this mama personally prefers the Wii over many of the older video game systems because it keeps the kids more active.)  But if you’ve been judgmental about video games, it might be worth considering whether your beliefs are based on facts or on assumptions.  On the other hand, if video games have taken over your house (and not for some good reason, like in a home where Mom and Dad are video game programmers by vocation and/or it’s how the family bonds), it might be wise to find some ways to move toward moderation.

Social Media

Perhaps more than any other area of technology, social media calls for the reminder that it is a tool.  Just as a hammer may be used to place a nail or to smash up someone’s headlights, social media may be used to build up or to destroy.

The most common complaints I hear about social media sites are that:

• they replace real, face-to-face relationships, and/or
• they’re time-wasters.

Both of these are valid concerns.  But both are also up to us as users.

Facebook

Are you using Facebook to live in the past (not so good) or to avoid losing track of old friends (good)?
Are you using Facebook to avoid the perceived need to interact in person with other members of your church (not so good) or to stay aware of their needs so you can meet them (good)?
Are you using Facebook to brag, complain, or be passive-aggressive (not so good) or to share your life with the people you love, encourage, and be encouraged (good)?  (Don’t take that overly literally.  I’m not implying that you should never share your successes or that every post should be positive.  I’m referring to the overall essence of your usage being destructive vs. edifying.)

I’m chronically ill.  Frankly, I would not be seeing most of these people in person even if I didn’t have Facebook.  So my interaction is increased by my Facebook usage, not decreased.  I can encourage and be encouraged.  I can study Scripture with friends.  I can stay up-to-date with people so I know how to pray for them, when someone had a baby, and if there’s an opportunity to serve.  In other words, there are distinct benefits to the platform if we choose to make use of them.

Ask yourself honestly whether Facebook is encouraging you to interact more with the people in your life, or whether it’s making you feel you’ve “done your part,” so you don’t make the effort to get together with people in real life.  Screentime interaction with friends is not worthless, but it’s not the same as gathering in person.

If you don’t have physical limitations that make it impossible, I challenge you to find a way to use Facebook this week to facilitate an in-person meetup.  It can be large or small, and it can happen this week or just get on the schedule this week, but I encourage you to make the effort.  If you’re like me and aren’t able to commit to the physical appearance, I challenge you to get as close as you can, by sending a snail-mail note to someone, or something else that’s offline interaction, even if it isn’t in person.

Pinterest

Pinterest is especially known for being a useless time-suck, but it doesn’t have to be.  I’ll be honest, I like to unwind sometimes by scrolling through Pinterest.  And, yep — it can totally suck you in if you’re not careful.  But as a whole, I find Pinterest to be a useful tool.

Here’s something to consider: people consider it a time-waster because they talk about spending hours Pinning things they never follow up on.  Is that the case for you?  Do you Pin things, only to have them fall into a virtual black hole?  Or do you Pin things that get used?

If you use Pinterest, what is your purpose?  If you’re not making use, in any way, of any of the things you Pin, why not?  Would a different board organization help?  Are you Pinning the wrong things?  Or is it simply not a constructive site for you?

Other Social Media

I don’t honestly have a lot to say about other social media sites, because I don’t really use them much, if at all.  I have accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus, for blog-related reasons, but I don’t do much with them, and I don’t have accounts on other social media sites.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have value.  It does help illustrate an important point: use what has a purpose for you.  Don’t use social media just to use it.  I know people who find Twitter very valuable as a source of information.  I don’t; it just doesn’t work well with the way my brain processes information.  And I’m way too verbose to ever say what I have to say in a Tweet. 😉  On the other hand, there might be some of you who find it perfect, but are overwhelmed by Pinterest or find it too easy to get sucked in.  If a social media platform is an effective tool for you, use it.  If not, you can probably skip it.

The Bottom Line

Don’t obsess or idolize your media.  (That goes for phones, too!  If you can’t bear to turn it off or put it away, you might need to consider whether it’s an idol.)

Use it in a way that glorifies God.

If you can’t avoid obsessing/idolizing, or you can’t use it in a way that glorifies God, then avoid it as a stumbling block.