I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
-Ephesians 3:18-19
Conclusion: A Final Dialogue
From all the questions I have asked and answered since I first started this project 3+ years ago, the hardest question to answer was this: What do you hope to accomplish? Ideally, I want Hutterites to take more seriously the impact of the world around us. To realize how it is reaching us to begin with. 3 years ago, I would have blamed my phone for everything I see, wasted my time on, or started to believe. Now I realize how harmful that idea is. If we blame our technology, we not only cut ourselves off from human progress and therefore from a position of influence, but we deliberately place the problem out of our hands.
I realized through researching addiction for another project that it all comes back to choices. We can choose to remain dormant and let “die wilt” philosophies, worldviews, and ideologies infiltrate, or we can arm ourselves mentally and spiritually, and face it ourselves. We can choose to use technology with intent. We have an extensive history of written works and volumes of Lehr’n, not to mention the Bible itself to know how to address the crisis that is the “infiltration.” But an infiltration of what? Is not an infiltration of technology. It is one of the ideas and changes that come with the development.
My generation grew up surrounded by our traditional beliefs and values, only to log onto the internet and be shown that there are thousands of differing and clashing worldviews and ideas at the click of a button to explore. And we explored them. We got caught up and still do get caught up in false ideologies, pseudosciences, and alternative doctrines. But this came from an ignorance of the power that our phone had: the power of accessibility. While our friends are within reach now, so is mindless entertainment, distraction, and increasingly sexualized content. We are not as strong as technologies pull alone. As a community however, we can be.
If all this project ever does is start a single conversation that allows a child to avoid the disillusionment, the confusion, the obsession, and the addiction, then it has done something.
If it reaches one parent who becomes more open and understanding when their teen chooses to confide in them about their online struggles, and guides their child towards a change, then it has done something.
If it reaches the right people, who will understand the need for a written Huttarian policy towards technology, that continuously updates with each latest introduction, setting a standard for age allowance, restrictions, and monitoring of content on communities.
If it prevents one Eating Disorder borne out of Social media; one Anxiety Attack triggered by the influx of information and panic; one young person from leaving because they were fed up with the lack of answers; one porn addiction; One silenced voice. Then already this project will have done more than I ever hoped it would.
I can’t make anything I and my fellow young people wrote have an impact. That will be your choice. But know that every choice has consequences. We are called by Christ to serve others. We are the generation who first saw what technology’s capabilities are: for both good and bad. We can utilize the advantages of technology towards creating a further reach, a greater flow of knowledge and learning, and a brighter future for our communities.
Alisia Maendel,
Oak Bluff Colony
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