The Contenders

• Mar. 13, 2006 - Freetime Well Spent? Yes vs. No

So, it was determined that technology has brought about more good than harm.

I do have to add Kristal's late argument here. It does have a purpose to this week's debate. Kristal points out that technology has brought about the uselessness of man. Many people have lost their jobs due to technology and that has given them more free time than they really wanted for that period of their lives.

Let's get down to business:

Old Business:

- Remember to add in the subject line the side you are contending for.

- If you would like to leave a comment about the blog itself, and NOT leave an argument then please leave it in the conclusion blogs. If you have something to share or an interesting point, I will point it out in the debate post. (Just as I did with Kristal's.)

New Business:

- A volunteer judge is needed for this debate post. You can not leave an argument for either side.

Last night I was watching, How William Shatner Changed the World. I used to be quite the Star Trek fan. I found it fascinating in light of our last debate. The program discussed how the world is better because of technology, which was Gene Rodenberry's goal of the shows. Rodenberry believed that advanced technology would bring peace.

William Shatner did interview one man who is attracted to the evil side of technology and is actually working towards making humanity like the Borg, a fleet of computer humanoids. Sorry, I spent quite a bit of time online trying to find out who he was but couldn't find anything as I don't remember his name! He does work for a University here in the U.S. and he already has several implants in his own body. (You can search for better humans and come up with a plethora of sites on how to improve the lives of "imperfect" bodies, either by extending life, or computer chip implants.)

We've already determined that sin comes from the human heart, not the technology itself. Technology advancements being made, in part, to save us time. So much time that humans are no longer needed for certain jobs.

The Debate

Technology has given us more time. Are we spending that time wisely, Yes or No?

• Mar. 13, 2006 - No, we are not using our time wisely

Posted by

Technically, technology has not given us more time. We still have 24 hours, and we still fill it to the brim with activity. It is just a different type of activity.

Which brings us to this debate: are we spending our time wisely?

If we had a list of things that have been added to our life because of technological advances, I believe I could go through and pick apart each one and show how the "things" are robbing us of the two most important things we have on this earth: relationship with God and relationship with each other.

Take a dishwasher for example. If we were to time a single person preparing dishes for the dishwasher, filling the dishwasher, and then emptying the dishwasher, it might save some actual minutes as compared to a single person doing that same load of dishes in the sink.

However, in a household without a dishwasher, it is often the custom for people to help doing the dishes, say, one washes and one dries. During this time, relationship is built, talk happens, *something* happens between two people.

Let's say that there are not two people to help with this work. Then the gift of time is given to the washer of dishes in that she has time to think and meditate and consider while her hands do work that requires little or no thought. This can be either "down" time for the washer, which is mentally needful and healthy, or time spent between the washer and her Creator.

In both instances, relationship is developed. In the instance where the washer is simply having down time, mental health is being encouraged. Time is being well spent.

The argument might be brought forth that the two washing the dishes spend the time arguing or that the single washer spends her time rehashing bitter or resentful things in her mind. In both cases, relationship is *happening*.

Now take the single dishwasher filler. Take 10 (maybe) quick minutes to get that washer filled, put the soap in, run off and do some other busy thing by yourself, come back in an hour, spend 10 busy minutes putting the dishes away while thinking of the next thing you are going to do.

Perhaps the dishwasher filler takes time to meditate or two people spend 5 minutes apiece filling the dishwasher...generally speaking, the dishwasher takes away from building relationship, and is a quick fix to a mindless job. There isn't much going on there aside from getting the thing filled so the washer can move on to the next thing.

Television: no relationship built there
Vehicles: long trips can build relationship, but running to and fro more often breaks down or hampers the building of real relationships.
Wash Machines: see dishwasher
Computer: how many people in real life get together at a single computer? This is an individual pursuit.
Cell phones: this one is funny...ever seen couples taking a walk together hand in hand while the wife is talking on the phone to someone else? I'm not sure telephones have helped too much in building relationship, but on the other hand, I'm not too sure they have hurt relationship as much as the washing machine.

Technology has basically separated people. We are not working in groups to accomplish something, but rather working with machines to accomplish our goals.

Our time can not be called well spent if it has not been spent obeying the Greatest Commandment and the other Commandment just like it: building relationship with the Father and with each other.

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40

No, we are not spending well the time that we have supposedly gained from technological advances. Rather we are running from one technological advance to the next during most of our waking hours.

Edited by OreoSouza on Mar. 13, 2006 at 9:54 PM

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• Mar. 14, 2006 - No, our time is not well spent.

Posted by DreweLlyn

First, we must define "well spent". Does that mean making money? Does that mean being entertained? If those two are our definitions, then my response would be, "Yes, all this extra free time is well spent" because the pursuit of money and distraction are rampant in this country. However, because the Bible is our "plumb line" we must allow the Bible to define how best to use our time. I won't bother referencing everything (unless I need to) because the message permeates The Word, that life is about relationships...our relationship with God and with each other. Based on that definition I must say, “No, we are not spending our time wisely.” That is not to say that many across this nation are trying to come back to this (most homeschoolers would say part of the lure of home education is coming back to God and family relationships), but as a whole we in America are not. This was proved to me first during my family's time overseas, and most recently during Katrina.

In other countries where either high technology doesn’t exist, or where it is not affordable, people value family and friendships much more than they do in America. Visiting with neighbors and drinking coffee are the norm, not the exception. People work hard (the women chopped wood, beat carpets, and did all the housework), but they always had time for visiting.

During Katrina we were without power six days, and though everything took longer to accomplish, we somehow managed to eat melting ice cream with neighbors, sit out in the yard visiting or listening to my son play his guitar, play board games, and work alongside each other. There was nothing else to do! As soon as the power came back on everyone rushed to the computer, turned on the tv or stereo, or played computer games. We went our separate ways. No one has wanted to play games since then.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard women complain that there isn’t enough time to do everything, much less have a quiet time with God. Many don’t have time to go to church because they spend their Sunday’s at the soccer field, baseball field, or some other “busy” activity. Also, how many mothers would work outside the home, leaving their children in child care, if they didn’t have the extra time modern conveniences bring? In conclusion, we have filled our free time with more activity instead of relationships to the detriment of our children, our families, our neighbors, and our relationship with God.

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