My story or your story?

What kind of story are you living? Or maybe a more pointed question: Whose story are you living?

Did you know that when you work really hard on a project, blood flow increases to to your brain and overflows into your brain's pleasure center? This gives you an enjoyable feeling of accomplishment. However, according to Dr. Jeff Myers in the movie CAPTIVATED (see previous post), when we use technology like video and computer games, they give us the same feelings of pleasure. Only, that is because they drain blood from the executive center into the pleasure center. As a result, we feel good and like we have accomplished something—and we haven't.

When I learned that, I heard a sinister echo of Huxley's “Brave New World.” Instead of soma, the panacea for all feelings of discomfort or ill, we can manufacture a pleasure fix for ourselves with our ubiquitous technology. Instead of the 'feelies', we watch 3D HD movies and vicariously enjoy the characters' experiences.

As our world becomes increasingly virtual, our lives are too. Technology does have a role in business and school, but what is its role in our entertainment and 'free time'? Is our 'free time' becoming a self-imposed jail sentence to technology?

As a student, I find that I use the computer a lot. It facilitates essays and research. But when I watched the clips from CAPTIVATED, I thought about how much 'screen time' I have and I was surprised.

Lately I have been struggling with what kind of impact I have on my world. More to the point, I am struggling with the lack of impact I seem to exert on my world. Then I wondered what kind of impact I expected to have if all I did was sit in front of my computer. “The Story of a Young Girl who Sat at the Computer” doesn't sound very reportable or world-changing. It brings up a haunting question:

Will the world be a better place because I have lived—or will no one even notice the loss of what could-have-been?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2