Video Link

“With power comes great responsibility”, is a very old saying, but has Brian Holdsworth given new meaning to this saying?

This tweet from Brian Holdsworth appeared on my Twitter, and I thought I would share this. Let me read you this: “You would never give a child a power tool and say, go build something. That’s because a powerful tool, is also powerfully dangerous. A smartphone is a space-age tool and we let children use them unsupervised and then wonder why mental illness is at epidemic proportions today.”

I was shared this book once, and I think I mentioned it before in a previous episode, I have yet to read it, and I intend to read it, along with many more books, but it is called “The Anxious Generation”, and it was shared with me by someone who works in the medical profession, who sees first hand the incredible (i.e. large rather that good) number of drugs that young children are put on today.

Catholic News Agency or one of the other Catholic News sites, shared that it has been seen that the Rosary is effective against anxiety just as even more than anxiety drugs. Additionally, on the news recently they shared that exercise is beneficial against it over drugs, and that doctors are recommending it before giving pills.

In my mind, it is the doing something that helps. Keeping the mind busy, rather than doing nothing, or scrolling endlessly online. Exercise and prayers are an example of keeping a busy mind. But so is talking with friends, reading a book, doing crafts, learning something. Or, put another way, doing anything. When we simply try and distract ourselves with technology, or mindless technology. I am willing to say that, even in moderation, as with all things, video games are good. After all, should we not take the example of now St. Carlos Acutis, who used his love of technology to spread the faith? Who played video games? I would argue, technology is either a net good or a net neutral to the faith. It has it’s cons, and that’s a different episode, but there are many great Catholics who use technology as a good for the faith.

Anyways, this is not meant to be an expansive video on the use of technology, and it’s goodness or badness when applied to the church. This also does not include recent advancements in technology involving artificial intelligence, a topic that has been discussed, especially in regards to Pope Leo, on this channel. Technology is a topic I will discuss in future episodes.

Also, Brian talks about the need for proper “Catholic” forms of recreation. This should also include a discussion on the proper usage of technology for Catholics. To reiterate, constant mindless scrolling is not only unbeneficial for man, but it is also not really a good or true form of recreation. Good and proper recreation builds up the man. That being said, consuming online media is not a bad thing, but mindless and constant consuming of unedifying content, especially when consumption of such media becomes a distraction or a roadblock to proper work or recreation, it should, and possible even must be avoided.

But, to reiterate, this is not an exhaustive look at recreation and technology. We are mostly focused on social media in regards to what Brian Holdsworth said in this online post.

So now, let’s discuss Brian’s principle. While he talks about a power tool, it could rightly be called technology, because in the broadest sense, the sense the word has had from the beginning, technology refers to tools to be used, a computer is technology, in the same way a hammer is technology or a drill or saw or whatever else is used to, simply, make life or work easier. That is the broadest sense of technology.

Regardless, you would not give a child a saw or a drill or even a hammer, because it is dangerous. In part, you would not give a child a saw because they could very much hurt themselves or others, or just as bad, break something. You can think of many more examples, you would not give a child a match because they could burn themselves or the house down. You can think of many more examples of powerful things you would not give a child because they would harm themselves or others, or the things around them.

Brian says that phones are “space-age” technology. Saying that the unsupervised use of technology has led to the mental health epidemic of today.

As we discussed this can be consistent with an unmetered usage of technology. My argument being that because mindless scrolling is a false and unhelpful and even harmful form of recreation, that it is understandable how there is a mental health epidemic.

There are other issues as well. For example, the interactions of people online, and the content that children view. These are other ways in which we can see how mental health issues can arise in children.

Brian’s point is of course, is about the repercussions, and of course, he means this is a warning. Catholic Parents should limit the use of their children’s electronics. Simply, there is much harm that can befall a child in these modern days on electronics.

All Catholics should use technology prudently. As we noted, technology is not a bad thing, and when used reasonably it is a great thing. But Catholics should be weary about their use of technology. And Catholic parents should be especially watchful of the type of content that their children consume, as well as the ammount of time their children spend on technology.

Simply, Catholic parents, and Catholics in general, should limit their use and their children’s use of technology, and teach good and effective forms of recreation.

Two other people talk about adults and the internet: “No different than giving it to an average adult. In fact, I’m MUCH more worried about what adults do with smartphones and internet access than what children do.”, “Most adults can’t handle the internet or “smart” phones. By most, I mean almost all. Corollary: if most adults shouldn’t have the internet or “smart phones”, then social “networks” should/wouldn’t exist.”

Technology is not going away, but the way in which Catholics use technology should adapt, and we should always stay on the side of caution.

I thought I would share this, indeed, I think Social Media, and not simply technology, is what Brian is warning against. Parent’s should watch or supervise their children’s use of technology. However, even parents should as well, and not do something contradictory to the good they want to teach their children. Parents and children, as well as all Catholics should use technology with prudence.