This Is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel

by Trevin K. Wax

Now that we are bombarded with knowledge coming at us from every which way, we feel the need to tailor our intake. We’ve got to slow down the stream of knowledge so we can actually drink from it. We need the waterfall to become a trickle. So, what do we do? We develop a winnowing process of news and commentary. We select voices, newscasters and content-blasters that we want to hear from. We slow the stream down to the people we trust. Over time, this leads you to follow online the people who think like you do, to read the websites where writers are interested in the same things you are, and to listen to voices that say things you like to hear. We curate our own consciences. You’ve tailored your intake of knowledge. And now your phone tells you another myth: You are right. You’ve selected the slant, the angle from which you want to receive all this knowledge, and it’s an angle that confirms your thoughts and opinions. This is why in our time “news” is less about information and more about affirmation. News comforts you when it is presented in a way that backs up what you already believe to be true of the world. Once you’ve taken this step, technology is no longer just about informing you; it’s forming in you a desire to hear people who usually affirm and never challenge your assumptions. It’s telling you two things: You have the knowledge you need most, and you are right.