It is alarming just how strong the screen pull is! And we can see its power all around us: at the café, restaurant, on public transport, and in any moment of ‘waiting’. This book is about how several aspects of modern life have stolen our focus. One of the things I really like about this book is that in the area of screen use, it is easy to feel bad. I mean personally, and also as we parent our children too. But one message the book repeats is the answer isn’t simply better will power, as if it’s all down to you! Hari lays out strong evidence supported arguments about how screens have become more embedded in our lives, and also how big tech is actually designing their products to keep us addicted. It’s all about money, sadly. Recognising these traps and unmasking the schemes working against us to steal our focus, helps us reclaim our attention.
The book isn’t just about screens either, but how the western philosophy of education, ‘fear’ (with urgency to be ‘safe’), along with diet are all driving further loss of our ability to focus. Hari outlays the impact the loss of attention, and it is sad reading along with the greedy ploys of ‘big tech’. There are helps and strategies in the book for the reader to engage with, not all may be viable for some contexts, but this is an important conversation for our culture in the present moment.
As Christians we have more, a bigger purpose to life to being to live for Jesus' glory and to serve one another. The book is not Christian, so read it with your gospel lens and consider what is to ultimately capture our attention, as Jesus followers.
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Simon Hill - Simon enjoys thinking and writing about theology, particular seeing it become practical. His academic and professional experience has been in engineering, theology and ministry.
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