One of the best books I’ve read lately is Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (which I reviewed previously). I’m now practicing what he preached, having almost completed the thirty-day break from social media to discern my philosophy of technology. In what ways do my values guide why and how I use tech?
Turning Reflex into Intentionality
Two things I noticed right away as I unplugged: first, relief from the constant stimulation of scrolling and, paradoxically, a reflex to grab my phone and scroll. I found myself reaching for my phone without even thinking about it, especially, when fatigued from work or bored. I became particularly attuned to this reflex after deleting distracting apps. I was left staring at the screen, looking for something to click. With no app there, I suddenly realized what I was doing.
Two weeks in, the reflex was still there. Instead of social media apps, I started clicking on news links and Substack (the one app I hadn’t deleted yet). So, I deleted the Substack app, then re-downloaded it, then deleted it again, waffling back and forth. I finally got a grip on my news scrolling with the Feedly app that allows me to curate news more intentionally. I’m still tinkering with it, filtering out news I don’t need. And if that app becomes a distraction, I’ll delete it from my phone as well.
Deleting distracting apps from my phone has been essential. I will never again download a social media app onto my phone. Any social media use will be intentionally scheduled and take place on my laptop, where I’m less inclined to check it as frequently. The same with any other app that I reflexively, rather than intentionally, use.
The Relief Is Glorious
I knew getting off social media could be glorious from previous experience deleting Facebook for six months. Indeed, my anxiety, distractability, short-attention span, difficulty reading books all diminished. Now when I’m tired during a work task, I take a real break that doesn’t contribute to brain fatigue. And when I’m bored, I allow myself to be bored, giving my brain the needed space to creatively imagine and problem solve.
What I Missed While Unplugged
The purpose of the thirty-day break from tech is not to detox so much as to contemplate one’s philosophy of technology. Detox implies perpetual abstinence. But digital minimalism doesn’t eschew tech entirely; it applies intentionality to tech. As I contemplated the why and how of tech, I was surprised how little I had given it any thought. Being away from social media provided greater clarity of what is most important to me. It allowed me to think intentionally and strategically about technology use.
Significantly, I didn’t miss social media much. But when I considered giving it up entirely, I realized it provided a way to stay connected with colleagues, a place to share my writing with others, and a space for ministry. While I enjoy seeing family and friend photos, I agree with Cal Newport that social media can cheapen those close relationships. Instead of merely liking a post, I want to invest more in close relationships through phone or Zoom, in-person visits, or even a handwritten letter.
While social media cheapens closer relationships (if it substitutes for deeper engagement), it can foster connection with work colleagues or friends-in-the-making. It allows me to see the work of other writers, scholars or ministry leaders, making it easier to collaborate or arrange in-person meetings at conferences.
Social media can also be a bridge to deeper friendship with acquaintances. When I meet someone for the first time at a function and want to explore friendship, but I don’t have a phone number or e-mail, finding them on Facebook allows me to reach out for coffee.
My Philosophy of Technology Use
Scripture says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal 5:6; NIV). My faith in Christ is the center that grounds me and guides me into concrete expressions of God’s love. For me, any tech use, is to be rooted in my identity as a follower of Jesus. This involves asking a bigger question: what has God called me to be and do in this life? I’m prompted to reflect on character (do I exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in tech use), as well as action (am I fulfilling God’s purposes for me).
Over the years, I have consistently discerned a call to spiritual encouragement. I want to nurture people in a way that draws them closer to God and other people. I do this primarily through writing, teaching, and spiritual care work. Writing, particularly, is my native language, so to speak. To riff on Chariots of Fire—when I write, I feel God’s pleasure. I’m also a nerdy bookworm with a deep love of Scripture. As a biblical scholar, I seek to cultivate a love of God’s word because Scripture is essential to Christian life and practice. I also have a background in counseling and spiritual direction and love listening to people’s hearts.
So what does that mean for me when it comes to technology use? I draw on Ignatian practices of Christian living, including reflection, discernement, and action.
Social media does not help reflection. Reflection requires being alone with one’s thoughts and free from distraction (at least for a period of time) to foster contemplation. I want to reduce distraction for myself, but I also want to avoid contributing to other people’s distraction. That means being intentional about when and how I consume social media, as well as what I post for others.
Sometimes, I’ve posted out of pressure to keep people’s attention. The social media world deludes us into thinking we need to have more and more followers or that we have to keep posting to avoid being forgotten. I’ve come to realize that’s nonsense. I don’t need everyone’s attention, nor do I need it all the time. I’m tired of posting when I don’t really want to. I’d rather take my sweet time, so that when I do post, it’s meaningful, rather than superficial. I want to stop distracting myself and others.
As for discernment, how might social media enable me to be more discerning, as well as contribute to other people’s ability to discern well? Discernment has to do with noticing the movements of the Holy Spirit in daily life. More specifically, it involves distinguishing what is of God and what is not of God. When I know what is of God, I can pursue the things of God.
A simple first step with discernment is to evaluate what I’m feeding my mind and heart. What am I allowing into my imagination and thought processes? Does it actively help me to be Christ-like? Is it the best input or merely interesting or good input? I want to be mindful about the quality of what I’m taking in. For example, am I reading reputable news sources, or am I mindlessly consuming random headlines? Similarly, I want my tech use to foster, rather than impede, other people’s ability to discern.
Finally, the purpose of reflection and discernment is action, specifically, loving action. When I make time to reflect and discern, then I can act on the Spirit’s guidance in everyday life. When social media impedes concrete action (clicking an empathetic emoji rather than taking a meal over to a sick friend), that’s a problem. When I spend more time venting about social problems, rather than being part of the solution through real action, I’m only deluding myself about loving my neighbor.
Update: Since writing this post, I have deleted all my social media accounts except Substack. The work of digital minimalism takes time, but is oh so worth it. If you like this post, you might also enjoy “Creativity Gone Wild,” where I talk about how undiscipline creativity led to haphazard tech use.