It might as well be a moral law, considering how much contemporary culture makes of the quest for something new. Recent articles in Wired Magazine as well as the Washington Post bring up this new but powerfully booming cultural trend of being acquainted with everything and deeply committed to almost nothing – except of course the endless search for the next ‘acquaintance’, be that the latest cell phone or girlfriend or t.v. show or breakfast cereal. By the way, have you paid any attention recently to the selection of cereals at the grocery store lately? How are we supposed to stay faithful to Raisin Bran for another decade when each passing month introduces new challengers?
Are you a media-snacker? A techno-troubadour? You may not know until you read further. Then again, if you are a media snacker, you’re probably ready to move on to another blog right about now.
This issue goes deeper than we may realize…
The compulsive search for diversion is often an attempt to escape the wretchedness of life. We have great difficulty being quiet in our rooms, when the television or computer screen offers a riot of possible stimulation. Postmodern people are perpetually restless; they frequently seek solace in diversion instead of satisfaction in truth. As Pascal said, “Our nature consists in movement; absolute rest is death.” The postmodern condition is one of oversaturation and over-stimulation, and this caters to our propensity to divert ourselves from pursuing higher realities… read the rest…
