Excellent article, Chris. I believe Alexander Solzhenitsyn had a few things to say about the dangers of the press in his famous speech to Harvard students in the 1970s.
I really enjoyed your book on S. K.'s understanding of technology. "The Instant" journals probably give us the best insight into his own answer to this question: in a violently Hegelian piece of logic, the press/mass media will have the seeds of their own demise within them.
Thanks for bringing those papers to my attention - a pleasant Sunday afternoon's worth of reading!
A great piece, this—I agree with you, Kierkegaard probably wouldn’t have shared the optimism these articles do. But it is also always a good time to read and consider Kierkegaard for ourselves, as individuals living in the fast-changing societies we belong to. Kierkegaard wished as much himself.
This piece makes for good provocation. What does it mean to try to learn from Kierkegaard's texts, in a way that takes seriously the challenge they pose? Does it mean to try to make them applicable and useful, so that, say, a distinction between "good journalism" and "bad journalism" can be made -- or, maybe more pointedly "good online presence/social media use" vs. "bad"? Does it mean that for a reader to learn Kierkegaard in a truly Kierkegaardian way would be to follow in the way of radical discipleship that would unplug from online media completely for the sake of the eternal God - or would it mean to find some paradox of unplugging and prophetic provocation? It's for me to live with that question in my own uncertain and uncomfortable way I guess... but meanwhile, hi Chris, and hope I get a "like" back from you! (ha!)
Lol. There’s your like. But those are exactly the right questions. I wonder if the answers lie on a spectrum. Yes, a positive “online presence” is better than a harmful one, provided that such a distinction could be made (I think it could, albeit tenuously). But to lack an online presence on account of a profound immersion into the worship of God and love of neighbor…best of all.
Thanks - I'll reach out again soon. I've been thinking about trying to do a piece about the Spirit/Flesh distinction in biblical Christian tradition and something about living the intellectual life in our current technological milieu, a bit less focused on the evils of online life perse and more the temptations to distraction.
Excellent article, Chris. I believe Alexander Solzhenitsyn had a few things to say about the dangers of the press in his famous speech to Harvard students in the 1970s.
Thanks! And no question…
I’d like to support your work, so I’ll go to the site and give a yearly donation. 👍
I really enjoyed your book on S. K.'s understanding of technology. "The Instant" journals probably give us the best insight into his own answer to this question: in a violently Hegelian piece of logic, the press/mass media will have the seeds of their own demise within them.
Thanks for bringing those papers to my attention - a pleasant Sunday afternoon's worth of reading!
My pleasure! Many thanks for reading!
A great piece, this—I agree with you, Kierkegaard probably wouldn’t have shared the optimism these articles do. But it is also always a good time to read and consider Kierkegaard for ourselves, as individuals living in the fast-changing societies we belong to. Kierkegaard wished as much himself.
It’s good to know you’re on Substack, too!
Many thanks Katherine, both for the comment and for reading!
This piece makes for good provocation. What does it mean to try to learn from Kierkegaard's texts, in a way that takes seriously the challenge they pose? Does it mean to try to make them applicable and useful, so that, say, a distinction between "good journalism" and "bad journalism" can be made -- or, maybe more pointedly "good online presence/social media use" vs. "bad"? Does it mean that for a reader to learn Kierkegaard in a truly Kierkegaardian way would be to follow in the way of radical discipleship that would unplug from online media completely for the sake of the eternal God - or would it mean to find some paradox of unplugging and prophetic provocation? It's for me to live with that question in my own uncertain and uncomfortable way I guess... but meanwhile, hi Chris, and hope I get a "like" back from you! (ha!)
Lol. There’s your like. But those are exactly the right questions. I wonder if the answers lie on a spectrum. Yes, a positive “online presence” is better than a harmful one, provided that such a distinction could be made (I think it could, albeit tenuously). But to lack an online presence on account of a profound immersion into the worship of God and love of neighbor…best of all.
Thanks - I'll reach out again soon. I've been thinking about trying to do a piece about the Spirit/Flesh distinction in biblical Christian tradition and something about living the intellectual life in our current technological milieu, a bit less focused on the evils of online life perse and more the temptations to distraction.