An iFaith for an iWorld?

While my international travel had me a bit behind on all things iPad, once I'd settled in where I had a reasonable Internet connection, I checked out Apple's latest product and shared my initial reactions on Facebook. I basically called it what the MacBook Air wanted to be, but wasn't; that is, an uber-light web terminal that provides quick and easy access to your online world (with the bonus feature of having a potentially killer calendar app). A few people offered their initial reactions as well, including my brother who wrote:

Apple has mastered the art of capitalism and consumerism... create a product that nobody really needs with a bunch of fun, yet mostly pointless, apps and then convince people that they actually need it to make their lives happier. I DO have to tip my hat to that even if I doubt I will ever own one.

I'll admit that my initial reaction was to get defensive, after all, I'm a self-confessed Mac junkie, you know, the type who has gotten up early in the morning on the day a new product is released and has sat in line before the store opened (which, by the way, is an incredible community experience that, sadly, Christian congregations rarely offer). However, as I considered the way Mac advertises, and how others respond when they get their hands on my iPhone and immediately ask what games I have on it (the answer is, I don't because I didn't like the amount of time I wasted playing them), in the end, I had to, at least at a large level, agree with him.

As a result of his comments, over the past number of days, I've been wrestling with the issue of faith and consumerism. Now, I don't want to come out and say that all products like the iPhone, iPad, or any whatever else is out there is inherently evil and that no self-respecting Christian should own one, but if my brother is right, and I'm inclined to say that he is, then how does a life of faith invite us to respond to products that are developed primarily to feed into our consumer culture?

First, this assumes that a consumer culture is a bad thing, which I'd argue it is, and it doesn't matter how you define it:

Increased consumption is good for the economy. No, responsible consumption might be, but purely increased makes the rich richer, the poor poorer, and the middle-class debt-laden, something that stands in strong opposition to the Bible's notion of justice.
Buying stuff will bring personal fulfillment and make you happy. No, it will just give you a temporary high that will quickly wear off and leave you pining for more stuff. This is what Scripture would call idolatry, and the pining part, is the evidence that your false god has failed you.

So, if consumer culture is one of those things that Christ calls us to repent of, and if we're to believe in the gospel and the Kingdom of God that the gospel invites us into, how should Christians approach products that were created for a consumer culture that we're no longer a part of? Here are a few guiding questions that I've come up with:

How will this product help me to love God and serve my neighbor? At first, this might sound like a question that automatically deserves the answer, "It won't." but I don't think that's necessarily the case. For example, I'm an idea person, which means my mind, at the oddest times, comes up with all kinds of ideas that are helpful for preaching, teaching, or some other ministry project (all of which help me to serve my neighbor). However, the ideas come in flashes and if I don't get them recorded immediately, they're lost. Now, I used to try and write them down on paper, but the vast majority of my notes ended up getting lost or going through the washing machine (the same thing would happen with reminders of things that I needed to do after a conversation or a meeting). However, with my iPhone and the combination of the Evernote and OmniFocus apps, I've not only retained my ideas, but I've been able to put them to use, and I've been more efficient at getting things that need to get done, done. In this way and others, my iPhone has helped me to serve my neighbor (although, I will be the first to admit that I haven't always managed it well and it's also served as a distraction).
What is currently filling the role the new product would serve? Given that it was the iPad that started this conversation, and that I just mentioned my iPhone, this seems like a good follow-up question. Incorporated into this question is the debate as to whether the new product is substantially better at filling this role (my iPhone over paper) or just nominally better / equivalent (an iPad over my iPhone). It seems that if you're not significantly improving your ability to love God or serve your neighbor, then you're really just being one with the consumer culture that you've been called out of.
If the new product does allow you to love and serve significantly better, is there a reason to keep the less effective product? Now, in the case of going from paper to my iPhone, this really wasn't important, however, if I'd come to the conclusion that an iPad would be a significant upgrade to my iPhone, then I'd have to ask what to do with my iPhone. I'd have to explore the resale value, the cost of a dumb phone and an iPad when compared to an iPhone, and the cost of getting rid of the iPhone (you know, that pesky contract with AT&T).

There's a few of my initial thoughts on this issue. I'd love to have this turn into a conversation so, what are your thoughts? If you're not sure where to start, how about:

Do you disagree with my premise that being a part of consumer culture is being a part "of" the world (as opposed to being "in" it)?
How would you adjust the guidelines offered?
What other guidelines would you include?
Am I out of line when I make the claim that my iPhone has helped me to serve my neighbor?

about 2 years ago saint responded:

It's never the technology itself that kept me away from Macs (though frankly, I never like the user interfaces, not that Windows is a drastic improvement, especially as they keep trying to get more and more like Macs), but rather the seemingly obsessive quality about the users. And of course, the more people insist on something, the more I rebel against that thing. Many followers seem to tout Mac products as one would heroin or worse, an iGod. Surely, technological toys have replaced the little house statues of old.

What we need to look for in expensive new toys are exactly what you were talking about. Utility, primarily, and we need to keep in check the desire we find for letting it drive our life. Technology is akin to money in that it can be immensely useful and in and of itself, not evil. But rather, it's what we do with that technology/money that defines what is evil. Does it cause us to turn away from God or does it cause us to have a growing relationship with Him? Or is it something value neutral, that is, maybe it shifts between one standpoint or another.

To me, never having grown any need structure from the iPhone, nor ever having the urge to, the iPad seems to be just a complete waste of money. It's just another step on a company's value chain, which is to create new needs by introducing new products that people will feel they need (which Apple has an incredible skill for). Maybe in 10 years it will be essential in order to live life, but right now, I'm still not moved. To someone who is outside the iWorld, it really doesn't seem that thrilling of a technological advance. It's just a huge, oversized iPhone, that will neither fill the service of a phone (too big) or a computer (too low of capacity), but will create it's own need pool, causing people to want to own all three things. They could have simply adjusted the engineering on the iBook if they were really looking to do something innovative. But the iPad is not innovative in the tech sense, just in the marketing sense.

Sorry for the rant.

about 2 years ago Cara responded:

I love your reasoning for the iphone - because you lose pieces of paper?! :-) Now, self confessed gadget girl that I am, I still have to wonder whether our love for technology is a self-justified form of idolatry, and the following thoughts make me sound like I would like to live in a cave again.

If life is easier with a computer, how many do we need in a household? One; one per family member; One for home & one for on the go? We COULD make do with sharing/waiting until we get home but this appears to be the case less and less, often with a desktop, laptop and then an iphone each in a home. Somehow we find ways to justify what we want.

An iphone is simply an expensive storage media - an advanced form of the diary or (remember this?!)... a personal organiser! Granted with a few extra features - like a phone! If we actually went against the tide, and stuck to a paper based diary for example, we would still have one place to store all information and therefore not end up putting it in the washer. As you have identified, there are financial implications to this. Especially when we need to make the purchase, buy the accessories, then purchase the upgrade because the new one does things the 'old one' didn't do.

My biggest consideration is the amount of time that ends up being spent on technology. For something that is supposed to save time, how often do we find ourselves using them?! If our concern is for helping our neighbour and displaying the splendor of Christ. then surely we should be interacting with the world in a personal and real sense? How many people feel that they know what is happening in another's life, simply because they saw it on facebook? Rather than calling someone how much more convenient is it to text or email, thereby gradually removing us from personal interaction and a real community. (And yes, I am guilty of this one). Additionally it does make you have to question what our motives are behind facebooking, blogging and tweeting. Do we really need so much of our lives to be on display - and for who are we doing it. Is it simply sometimes a matter of self-idolatry? Do our actions edify the church? Sometimes, absolutely, but often not.

Now I am not saying technology is wrong- after all, I met my husband-to-be online and now am thankful for it in combatting homesickness! It makes the world smaller and helps people overcome the separation that geographical distance causes. I have used technology to explore and grow theologically aswell as witness and point people to Jesus... yet also wasted many hours of my life utilising technology and not doing these things. But my concern is how easily we do buy into the concepts of new technology. What are the financial and social implications... Is it the gadget we need, or simply to re-evaluate the way we do things - which of course could mean admitting that our system is wrong?

Now... Time to go and make fire and hunt wild boar or something.

about 2 years ago joe responded:

Yeah, yeah, I know the reasoning sounds trite at first, but it’s the short version of the story. I spent 17 years buying various planners and trying everything I could find to get my tasks organized and keep my ideas from being lost. I spent way more money in that time than an iPhone costs, and nothing I found worked. How’d I get through college and seminary? An incredible amount of luck with friends mentioning assignments that were due the next day and an amazing ability to stay up all night writing papers. For whatever reason, where everything else failed, the iPhone has worked … maybe in part because of my techno-obsession so I can’t help but being reminded repeatedly throughout the day.

I think the time challenge is one of utmost importance. One of the things I dislike most about my iPhone is that it’s just too accessible … although, depending on where I am, my laptop can be the same way, so I have no reason to think some other device wouldn’t be as tempting for a “quick look” that turns into a pointless hour spent wandering cyberspace.

Then of course there’s the wandering that’s valuable. The time I spent today encouraging a 5th grader in Denver while I sat in South Africa, or the way I have, in some way, remained connected with youth who live in California while I’ve been in St. Louis or Denver. Or a whole collection of people I’ve met and had the chance to tell about Jesus because of Twitter and Tweetups. Heck, just the other day, the guy who is about to become the Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Southern Africa pointed to me as someone who could help churches here connect with their people through virtual mediums as a way to communicate news, promote Bible study and devotions, or remind them about events at church. How do we manage our time so we’re not removing ourselves from the digital opportunities, but at the same time, not disconnecting ourselves from the analog ones? Hum, I have a feeling that’s a whole different post.