Using the Internet wisely

Using the Internet wisely: Why do we crave distraction?

Many tools can help you guard your family from the ugly, immoral side of the Internet or to limit their time on the web. But even if all you read on the Internet is recipes and Bible stories, using the Internet affects how you think and spend your time. These articles help you use the Internet wisely:

• Scott Belsky discusses why we prefer distraction to downtime, but need time to let our minds wander in What Happened to Downtime? The Extinction of Deep Thinking and Sacred Space,. I agree with most of what he says, though I disagree with him on the nature of useful meditation. I think mediation should be mindful, chewing over eternal truths from the Bible, rather than the mind-emptying Belsky favors. I think emptying one’s mind is akin to the mindlessness of websurfing as a way of avoiding truth.
• Also see “Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction” from The New York Times.