Living in a World of Easy Narcotics
The evolution of social networking sites and the availability of streaming through sites such as Netflix and YouTube has taught Millennial Christians unhealthy patterns of explaining, naming, processing, and exemplifying their personal grief. Therefore, there must be a shift in our consumption of art in order to combat the ways that this media saturated culture is affecting our day-to-day liturgies.
The Narcotic
“We know that when you get [social media notifications], you get a hit of dopamine, which feels good. That’s why we like it. That’s why we keep going back… But there are no age restrictions on social media, which is the equivalent of opening up the liquor cabinet and saying… ‘Hey by the way, if this [life] thing gets you down, [here you go]!’”–Simon Sinek
The year is 2016 and the world is at a higher level of connection than it has ever been before. In America alone, 90% of millennials are currently using social media, and, because smartphones have made it so convenient, it is estimated that millennials check their devices approximately 150 times a day. Factoring in an 8-hour night of sleep, that comes out to approximately 9 times an hour! TV consumption is just as high. Breaking up millennials (aged 18-34) into 3 categories -Dependent Adults, Adults Living on Their Own, and Adults Starting Families- Nielsen surveyed the level of television consumption for each. Although the rates between each didn’t vary much, “on their own” adults clock in at the lowest time with 3:38 hours a day.It’s no wonder this essay has taken me so long to finish; I have a lot to get done with 3:38 hours of TV to watch in the midst of checking my phone more than every 10 minutes. And this level of usage isn’t due to change anytime soon. Studies show that despite life changes such as marriage and parenting, the habits of millennial consumption are not shifting from life period to life period; these habits, the good and the bad, seem to be here to stay.So why this seemingly obscene amount of “connection” with the outside world? Are millennials so concerned with news? Are friendships just that much stronger in this new generation? Unfortunately, this is where the idea of “narcotic” comes in. Social media is a proven source of dopamine in the brain. But dopamine is the chemical that triggers a surge of “reinforcing pleasure” when we do things such as work out or get a hug. Why shouldn’t we utilize everything in our lives to make us feel a little happier, especially when these things are so easily accessible to us? Believe me, I would much rather “like” a photo on Facebook than trudge over to the gym, and I’m happy to view texting as a way to avoid my 8 hugs a day.Less widely publicized is the fact that dopamine is the same chemical that plays a key role in the addictive natures of smoking, gambling, and drinking. As social pressures increase, we have a “generation that has access to an addictive, numbing chemical through social media and cell phones” that they can turn to in order to deal with the stress of everyday life. Unfortunately, this stress is only increased by social media usage which results in a vicious cycle and increased need for the very narcotic causing it.We are literally addicted to our phones, addicted to those red notifications in the top right corner of our screens. Millennials are trudging around, stuck in “dopamine induced loops,” unmotivated and unable to break the never ending cycles of checking facebook and double tapping instagram photos, dependant on the constant but brief surges of satisfaction. Addiction is about the “anticipation, not the reward.” And when do we feel more anticipation than when we are watching our favorite character fall in love or get that job promotion that they’ve [we’ve] always wanted? Television shows are just as much designed to keep us hooked as social media platforms are. The more and more we watch, the more our brains rely on the resulting dopamine to keep us steady, to the point that we are convincing ourselves to binge whole seasons in a day.Yes, this has negatively shaped how we view ourselves and interact with the world, but something less considered is the affects these easy narcotics have on how millennials react when their day to day lives are interrupted with tragedy, grief or pain.
The Resulting Liturgy
“Our loves and desires are aimed and directed by habits that dispose us to be the kind of people aimed at certain visions of “the good life”, particular visions of the kingdom [or a kingdom]. Those habits are formed through practices that train our desires by fueling our imagination through concrete, material rituals.” – James K.A. Smith
Again, I do not think any of the above has come as a surprise to you, reader. These ideas are becoming more and more familiar, and though shocking at first, they are easy to move past, if only for the sake of convenience. The real tragedy, however, is the absence of change. We are building habits and allowing ourselves to be sucked into seemingly trivial cycles that trap and ensnare our minds. These habits, or liturgies, have a much more detrimental effect than we will probably ever realize.The reason for this, amongst other things, is that we are “liturgical creatures.” God created human beings with souls that are distinctly affected by our repeated habits, or liturgies. We see this in almost every aspect of our lives; our desire for routine, our love of beautiful liturgies in the church, our need to have repeated encounters with loved ones and friends. We desire a consistency because it affects us so deeply, and, in turn, that consistency begins to shape our views, our actions, our thoughts: we are liturgical beings.This idea fights against the all too readily adopted dichotomy of Gnosticism that is seen throughout the modern church as it marries the physical world with the spiritual, putting a proper emphasis on human action. Therefore, we cannot separate our use of social media and over-consumption of television from our spiritual lives, nor can we claim that it does not have instant or long-term effects. These liturgies, although physical activities in a physical realm, shape our very souls, and are thus pivotal in shaping our trajectories towards or away from Christ.Our streaming and social media liturgies are changing us. One of the most detrimental effects it has had on the average millennial is the way in which it has altered our coping mechanisms to pain, sorrow, or even the slightest discomfort.The way millennial Christians respond negatively to their own grief is directly influenced by the media they consume. Because of our rising addiction to dopamine surges, we have a need for comfort so strong that our instant reaction to unpleasant interruptions tends to be one of simple avoidance. We are so dependent on being numb that we neglect the inevitable process of feeling and processing our pain. This is especially detrimental in times of deep sorrow or grief as we are unable to examine and respond to our own feelings. On the surface, this may not seem weighty; definitely not best case scenario, but not significant in the grand scheme of things. However, in our numbness, we are becoming blind to the character and reality of God, hindering our growing relationship with Him, and act in ways that stunt a process of healing and growth.We are not allowing sorrow and pain to refine us because we are choosing to tune out reality and exchanging the ability to dwell with God in the midst of grief for a numbed existence. Honesty is crucial to the process of healing, as it is crucial to walking with God. The biblical examples we are given from Job and from David especially emphasize the need not only be honest but to acknowledge the Lord in the midst of pain.We are shown how to lament in the Psalms and never called to tune out reality or look at things through rose colored glasses. Perhaps it is because of the false idea that Christians must be happy at all times that we are so unaware of the results of these liturgies, but it is essential that we shine light on the effects that these habits are having on our generation. Let us learn to become aware of and change our fallen liturgies and lament.
“1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?How long will you hide your face from me?2 How long must I take counsel in my souland have sorrow in my heart all the day?How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.6 I will sing to the Lord,because he has dealt bountifully with me.”-Psalm 13
The Hope
“What we find in Scripture is a God who does not trade your sorrows for more sorrows in the hands of a Man of Sorrows. No, we find a Man of Sorrows who suffered in order to remove your eternal sorrows and to give you eternal pleasures beyond your imagination.” – Tony Reinke
It may seem as though the deck is stacked against us in in this society of ever-increasing detachment, the chaos of social pressures, and a culture formed on the back of social networking sites, but as much as you may be tempted to drown out your hopelessness by logging into Facebook, hope is not lost. We do not live in a world void of life and true joy; God’s sovereign grace reaches down to free us from the bondages we so often experience. He is a God who has experienced sorrow and has redeemed our pain; a fact that we are wise to take heart in. God’s intent for our pain is not that of numbness. Nor is it to find a quick fix. We are meant to be in communion with him as we suffer and to bring our thoughts, feelings, and hurts to him. Grief is just another chance to live into our relationship with God, and we must orient our liturgies to turn to Christ in times of sorrow. This requires an awareness of our current patterns and a willingness to put into place new patterns that bring life and turn our hearts towards redemptive things. It requires naming our pain and being honest with ourselves and with God. It requires being conscious of the habits that have set us up for failure, and willing to take steps to change them. It requires thinking through the motives of your actions before you do them, whether that’s pressing play on the next episode of Stranger Things or opening up your phone to check your Facebook notifications. We must begin paying attention to our habits if things are going to change.
The Art
“Why strain to give shape to suffering? Because Reality has contours. God is who he is, not what we wish or try to make him be. His Son, Jesus Christ, is the great granite Fact.”– John Piper
Breaking habits is often easier said than done. Moreover, moving towards Christ in the midst of pain is rarely a natural reaction, and even if the desire is there, oftentimes the know-how is not. Especially in the laziness of deep sorrow, being able to take the first step can seem almost impossible. Which is where art can and should come in.The irony of this media dilemma is that media platforms are taking forms of art –videos, photographs, graphic design, and various other visual art forms – and using them to manipulate consumers. However, art can and should be an integral part of naming, processing, and healing from grief. Not only does it have the ability to elicit emotion but also the ability to bring people together through communicating shared experiences, allowing us to grieve in the midst of community.Moreover, the act of creating is intrinsically tied to God. God communicates himself through his creation, his art (Romans 1:20, Job 12:7-10, Psalm 19:1-4), and he is the essence of goodness and holiness. Through him, we are brought healing (Philippians 4:19, Psalm 107:19-21, Psalm 30:2), strength (Isaiah 41:10), and rest (Matthew 11:28, Revelation 21:4).It is no wonder that the act of creating—something so closely linked to the character of God—is also embedded with the expressions of emotion and meaning. Research shows that art does indeed elicit a wide range of emotional responses in people: pleasure, anger, confusion, disgust, pride, surprise- the list goes on. This generation’s response to social media alone confirms that. Therefore, we as believers should strive to create and consume art that is helpful in processing grief so that we can come to a fuller understanding of ourselves and God through our pain.