In his Ash Wednesday sermon last February 18, the parish priest of a local church in San Pedro City where I attended Mass reminded the congregation that the observance of Lent is more than simply fasting and abstinence.
He said that the observance of Lent is also curbing the “addictions” that had led us astray from a healthy relationship with God and our fellowmen.
Addiction does not just mean alcoholism or drug abuse, but our obsession with material things and other activities that have tended to warp our judgment and poison our relationships with the people around us.
To me, social media has become the new “opium of the masses” – the information, the affirmations, the views that concur with our own opinions, all fed by algorithms that only serve to feed us with more and more affirmation, have all sent us into an addiction as dangerous as illegal drugs.
This is manifested not only in the fact that our smartphones and social media accounts have come to dominate our daily lives.
From the moment we wake up, what do we do? Check Facebook or Instagram.
What do we do during our daily commute, while taking breaks from work, while distracting ourselves from household chores? Check our social media for anything latest.
And the last thing we do before turning off the light and snuggling under our blankets for the night? Yet another check for another update on what’s going on in social media.
Not to mention that we have become reliant on social media for almost anything and everything – from connecting with friends, family and even work, to finding jobs, purchasing things or seeking the latest discounts, to obtaining the latest news and information.
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I think this is where we have become so disconnected with the real world. We have, consciously or unconsciously, created a “parallel world” that fits into what our own views.
Siguro, ito ang dahilan kung bakit nagiging agresibo ang iba sa atin sa social media, lalo na sa mga isyung politikal.
Kasi feeling natin, yung mundo na nakikita natin sa social media, yun na ang talagang repleksyon ng “real life” na ginagalawan natin. Feeling natin, yung lahat ng nakikita natin sa social media, gospel truth na, lalo na kapag yung impormasyon e kapareho ng sarili nating paniniwala.
Madaling mang-away, madaling mang-bash, madaling makipag-alitan sa social media hindi lang dahil feeling natin hindi naman natin nasasaktan ang kabilang panig di tulad ng aktwal na rambulan, kundi dahil madali nang magtago sa troll accounts at “anonymous” posting.
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Heto ang masakit na katotohanan: marami sa atin ang nawalan na ng ideya kung ano talaga ang totoong buhay, dahil sa addiction natin sa social media.
At dahil nawalan na tayo ng “firm ground” na kung saan natin ia-angkla ang ating mga paniniwala, marami sa atin ang nagiging bulag na tagasuporta, bulag na napapaniwala, bulag na kumakampi sa mga taong sa dakong huli ay siyang magpapalubog sa bansa natin.
The best solution for that addiction? Connect with your friends and family personally – hindi lang sa social media, kundi sa pisikal na pakikipagkwentuhan.
Sa halip na makipagbardagulan sa mga troll, makipagtalakayan tayo sa mga tao sa labas – hindi para igiit ang ating sariling pananaw, kundi upang umunawa sa pananaw ng iba.
Sa tingin ko, ito ang tanging paraan para makita natin ang ating kapwa hindi bilang kaaway kundi kakampi sa isang nag-iisang hangarin na umunlad ang ating bansa.
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