In my previous post I mentioned Carl Trueman’s observation that the Internet is problematic in that it feeds narcissism, especially on the part of bloggers who post their thoughts on cyberspace without a shred of inhibition. Al Mohler points to another problem: it produces a shorter attention span than that produced by TV. Read his article here. Here’s a quote:
Several factors have been blamed for the shortened attention spans. Many blame television for the problem, noting that the pace of television programming and the structure of eight-minute segments between commercials trains the mind to expect shorter attention demands.
But, if television shortened the national attention span starting decades ago, the Internet and its massive media expansion seems to be producing an even shorter attention span.
All this may be great for the marketers, but it spells further challenge for educators, parents, and preachers. How will people be able to listen to a serious biblical sermon if their minds are set to pay attention only for a few minutes — or even less?
I think I’m beginning to feel the truth of this observation. Maybe it’s time to engage in an Internet-fast.
