12 ways your phone is changing you

From To-do lists to shopping lists, there’s no denying the reality that lists are generally a great way of keeping tab on things around us.  They are a helpful productivity tool. Also, given the average person’s tendency to skim rather than read, lists are definitely a winner!  So when you come across a book that offers readers a list, surely it wouldn’t be a hard read. Quickly look through the content page, spot the most appealing item on the list and start from there…  or maybe not.

12 ways your phone is changing you is more than a mere list of anecdotal pointers, rather, it is an uncannily accurate diagnosis of the fallout of unbridled digital consumption. With a chapter dedicated to each of twelve symptoms, the discussion progresses beyond the apparent, delving more into the implication of our blood-bought identity and ultimate purpose as Christians.

Drawing from the wisdom of old and young, living and dead, readers are offered a well balanced view of the push and pull of living wisely in a smartphone age. From the fear of missing out (FOMO) to unhealthy isolation, each of the twelve symptoms has been well researched, carefully written and ordered in a flow of logically connected arguments.

Whilst acknowledging the psychological and physical consequences of digital distraction, Reinke sets his focus more on the spiritual dimensions of technology-induced changes taking place in us. In his words, ‘Eternity, not psychology, is my deepest concern’. His reasons aren’t far-fetched at all; if the goal is to love The Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind, then even a little bit of unnecessary distraction becomes a big deal.

If you have the slightest concern about your use or intake of social media offerings, then here is a book you will greatly benefit from. It is a good primer to get some serious thoughts brewing. The author’s tone is engaging, as he graciously flags warnings on one hand, and commends life disciplines to preserve our spiritual health on the other.

I’m one of those in the habit of reading with a highlighting pen in hand, and on this occasion as always, it served me so well. Casually flipping through the pages days after having read the entire book, I bumped into highlighted sections of quote-worthy pithy expressions. One of which I’ll close with:

“Media don’t just lie around passively, waiting for us to come along and find them. They tell us what to do and, more significantly, what to want to do. There is a current in the stream, and if we don’t know how to swim, we shall be carried by it.”

Yes, “there’s an app for that”; but the question is ‘are you riding the tide for good or for ill?’

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga