Love this response from you, Kyle… BTW, I think cigarettes will never be “wiped out” either, because many people would say they perform a very useful purpose in their life—similar to technology arguments. My point is not to go back in time to fix something we don’t like today, ala the X-Men fantasy—it’s to treat the addictive, brain-altering impact of over-connectedness with the legitimate attention it deserves…

Zach, thanks for clarifying the point you were trying to make. If a “next step” doesn’t involve a change in the way kids are using (and abusing) their technology, it means the idea that “everyone smokes, and it’s only going to get more widespread,” then it’s a tacit verdict that there’s nothing damaging about this “vice.” I think everything starts with a truthful assessment of the impact of our connection to technology. I think it’s clear from the current research that use of technologies has strengthened some brain functions and weakened others. And its clear that use of technologies is having a rapid and deepening impact on relationships. If you’re suggesting we have an opportunity to give kids experiences that their technologies have left them hungry for, I totally agree…

Rick, I think you misunderstood what I was asking. Over-connectedness, to me, is both a problem and an opportunity for Youth Pastors. Being over connected has a very interesting benefit for those seeking to bring students to a saving knowledge of Christ: false intimacy. The authentic intimate relationship that Christ offers is massively impactful for, as you put it, the “smartphone” generation. Technology is only as good or bad as those who use it. Otherwise it is just a chainsaw with no gas. Useless. We need to start using it to our advantage. Also, thanks for a great topic to discuss in my podcast, and for being open to my comments.

I know the New Age movement has co-opted the term “mindfulness,” but I love it. I think it applies to every aspect of our life with Jesus…

Jodi, thanks so much for weighing in!

Zach, thanks for your passionate and thoughtful response. It’s not possible to go backwards in time, but it is possible to do two things: 1) Cut back. 2) Cut out. Like any other addictive behavior, if it’s possible to cut back on frequency of use (by setting boundaries on when/where/how often technology can be used) then we should be a catalyst for helping that happen. If “moderation” is impossible with a kind of technology, then cutting it out completely is the only viable option. For example, I think Snapchat should not be an available app for kids to use, and that boundary would need to come from their parents. Anyway, there’s no silver bullet, of course, but to do nothing is to capitulate to a harmful behavior. Cigarette smoking still exists, but today’s kids smoke far less than previous generations because years of education and boundaries have “worked…”