It occurred to me again (it seems like this comes up fairly regularly), that the root of corruption is time and our use of it. Somewhere along the line (and I have a fairly well thought out understanding of this historicity), people began to live as if having more money meant that they thus had the freedom to spend their time however they pleased. You see it all throughout history, in many different cultures. When a culture becomes economically successful, they slowly but surely slide into corruption and depravity. I think the reason for this is the use of time.
When someone has lots of free time, they, in most cases, begin to use it to entertain themselves. You see it in young men who spend hours a day playing video games. Or in young women who spend hours and hours, shopping. As we age, nothing really changes, we simply, slightly modify what it is that entertains us. There is a reason that the entertainment industry in the US is a multi billion dollar industry.
Some of this comes from our desire to be comfortable and distracted. Why sleep on a hard surface when you have the money to buy a big, comfy bed? Why eat beans and rice when you can be a regular at four star restaurants with the latest and tastiest fare? Why spend your time learning something or helping someone when you have 300+ channels of TV and the Internet?
It has to do with worldview. The worldview that we hold will direct and control how we spend our time. If our worldview is that of "me first", then of course we will be fat and comfortable. But if we are motivated by "love God and love neighbor", we won't spend hundreds of hours a year distracted by bright and shiny things.
But why corruption and depravity? Mankind was not made to be a mindless boob entertained by distraction. We were made for community and love. When we spend our freetime being distracted by entertainment, it will eventually get boring. So we move onto the next exciting thing. And eventually that mentality reaches an end. So we dip a little further into the bizarre or perverse to bring back the excitement of being entertained. Its called the law of diminishing returns. When one things gets old, we move to the next.
Like using a lightbulb to pound in nails. We may be successful for a short period of time, and with certain nails, but that is not the purpose of lightbulbs. Man was not created to blow time on entertainment.
But to end with a thought, its about balance. I am not calling for a new "law". The Christian law is not about law, but love. There is nothing wrong with watching a movie, listening to music or reading a book. But if these things are preventing us from loving our neighbor or from helping those in need, then it is a problem. If these things are leading us into corruption and a feeding of the passions, then it is a problem. But that is something that you, as an adult with free will and responsibility, will have to determine for yourself. If you need help with direction, speak with your priest.
When someone has lots of free time, they, in most cases, begin to use it to entertain themselves. You see it in young men who spend hours a day playing video games. Or in young women who spend hours and hours, shopping. As we age, nothing really changes, we simply, slightly modify what it is that entertains us. There is a reason that the entertainment industry in the US is a multi billion dollar industry.
Some of this comes from our desire to be comfortable and distracted. Why sleep on a hard surface when you have the money to buy a big, comfy bed? Why eat beans and rice when you can be a regular at four star restaurants with the latest and tastiest fare? Why spend your time learning something or helping someone when you have 300+ channels of TV and the Internet?
It has to do with worldview. The worldview that we hold will direct and control how we spend our time. If our worldview is that of "me first", then of course we will be fat and comfortable. But if we are motivated by "love God and love neighbor", we won't spend hundreds of hours a year distracted by bright and shiny things.
But why corruption and depravity? Mankind was not made to be a mindless boob entertained by distraction. We were made for community and love. When we spend our freetime being distracted by entertainment, it will eventually get boring. So we move onto the next exciting thing. And eventually that mentality reaches an end. So we dip a little further into the bizarre or perverse to bring back the excitement of being entertained. Its called the law of diminishing returns. When one things gets old, we move to the next.
Like using a lightbulb to pound in nails. We may be successful for a short period of time, and with certain nails, but that is not the purpose of lightbulbs. Man was not created to blow time on entertainment.
But to end with a thought, its about balance. I am not calling for a new "law". The Christian law is not about law, but love. There is nothing wrong with watching a movie, listening to music or reading a book. But if these things are preventing us from loving our neighbor or from helping those in need, then it is a problem. If these things are leading us into corruption and a feeding of the passions, then it is a problem. But that is something that you, as an adult with free will and responsibility, will have to determine for yourself. If you need help with direction, speak with your priest.
