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Technology and Human Dignity

Technology and Human Dignity

A publication of the INTERCOMMUNITY PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER NO. 102 / 2014 Technology and Dignity by Nicholas Mele the Creator has brought forth? development con- tinues apace, encompassing drones, autonomous guns and hese days, the word “technology” is usually synony- robots. What is the impact of war at a distance on individuals mous with the , mobile devices and comput- and communities on all sides of the conflict? Medical tech- ers of all types, but technology began when the first nologies identify diseases earlier and offer treatments that Thominid ancestor used a rock to crack a nut or a clam shell. prolong human life, but serious issues arise concerning the Among the questions each new technology raises, its impact dignity of the individual and the less and less clear line sepa- on the dignity of individual persons and the common good rating life and death. Perhaps a look at how humanity has of communities persists as most important. reacted to new technologies in the past offers some answers. In the 1970s, Dom Hélder Câmara observed of technol- Dom Hélder Câmara again offers some insight: “Kindling ogy: “Is it an exaggeration to say that today more than ever and inventing the were among the first results of humanity is participating in the creative power of [God] in this participation [in co-creation].”2 To begin a bit closer to mastering and completing the of creation?”1 His our own time than the early , the development © cote / Flickr CC 2.0

Are we completing the work of creation or unraveling what the Creator has brought forth? question can be a guiding principle for determining the im- of led to: settled communities; specialization of pact of a new technology on human beings: Is it co-creative? some types of labor and the growth of city-states supported Does it honor the divine image we each are? by the farms surrounding the cities; and eventually empires Contemporary critics decry families whose members sit large and small. Although we have no contemporary records at the dinner table, each absorbed in her or his own mobile of how people regarded the introduction of agriculture, we device, or groups of friends doing the same at a restaurant. As do know the benefits of a reliable food supply and a settled we fuss about problems with new information and communi- life, which includes the birth of specialized artists and think- cation technologies, we neglect equally compelling and per- ers. We also have some idea of the cost in the loss of the ca- haps more significant issues around other technologies that maraderie of a small hunter-gatherer band and the ability we should explore more deliberately and more thoroughly. of nomadic people to flee natural disasters and plague. The Are we completing the work of creation or unraveling what changes to human life as a result of the adoption of agricul- more human and direct or indirect consequence of tech- humane values. nological change. “” can Today, further be shorthand for the increased mobility BuzzFarmers / Flickr CC 2.0 © BuzzFarmers technological in- of capital and maximization of profits novations have enabled by diverse technologies from bequeathed us a to supertank- 24/7 world. The ers. Whether new technologies result in family or group of a net job loss is debatable, but it is clear friends interacting that most lost jobs are not lost, particu- with their mobile larly in ; they have sim- HOW OFTEN DO YOU CHECK YOUR ? devices rather than ply moved to parts of the world where one another at labor is cheap and regulations are lim- OF 2,600 PEOPLE POLLED, 60% ANSWERED table is enabled by ited or non-existent. Even when a kind I DON'T REALLY CHECK IT; IT'S ALWAYS OPEN new technologies, of job does disappear, new technolo- LIFEHACKER.COM but one large fac- gies create new jobs, as when tor is the demands spawned a new entertainment and in- ture are profound, and many, like divi- of employers in our radically connected formation sector. sions of labor and individual accumula- world. As I write this, Goldman-Sachs In a new ,4 George R. Tyler ar- tion of wealth, are still very much with has issued new work guidelines for its gues that globalization is a fiction be- us. It is clear that few people living to- bankers, brokers and analysts, urg- cause more export-dependent econo- day would willingly return to the life of ing them to work no more than 70-75 mies in Europe and Australia have a hunter-gatherer and relinquish most hours a week—apparently 120 hour managed to preserve good jobs and of the that were developed on the work weeks are common—and requir- actually increase workers' compensa- foundations of earlier technologies, ing that they take off at least four week- tion. In essence, Tyler blames greed from mastery of fire and -making end days a month. in The New and the short-term pursuit of corporate to and television. Yorker, James Surowieki reports “David profitability for income inequality and Several thousand years later, the Solomon, the global co-head of invest- increased poverty in the United States. brought more ment banking at Goldman, told , In the end, the majority of families and changes, including the creation of what ‘Today, technology means that we’re all individuals suffer as they lose real in- we now think of as the nuclear family. available 24/7. And, because everyone come to inflation, even while retaining As farmers, members of an extended demands instant gratification and in- their jobs. Tyler also notes the control family tended to live together and work stant connectivity, there are no bound- that corporate interests have over gov- more closely together, following the aries, no breaks.’”3 ernment policy makers and regula- rhythms of the seasons and the succes- In fact, corporate profits and the tors, elected and appointed, in the US. sion of night and day. Factories, on the accumulation of wealth are directly He contrasts this with the situation in other hand, required regular working responsible for many of the dehuman- Australia and a number of western Eu- hours and segregated woman from men izing effects of technology. The pay for ropean nations. according to the work thought suitable The pursuit of for each. Child labor and the depar- greater wealth by ture of younger adults from their birth ...because everyone demands instant and the home and family became the norm. gratification and instant connectivity, wealthy affects fami- People began to live by the , or at lies in other ways. least the factory whistle, rather than by there are no boundaries, no breaks. For example, Face- the position of the sun in the sky above book, Google and their fields. The excesses of factory a financial analyst is certainly higher other “free” services collect and then owners and the hardships experienced than that for a machinist, but the ma- sell their users' data to marketing firms. by farming families, as their markets chinist is guaranteed free weekends We are not paid for a small but signifi- changed and their land became more and holidays, or special compensation cant contribution to the , but valuable to others, gave rise to labor if required to work on what would nor- we are unknowingly opening our lives unions, labor laws and the social safety mally be her leisure time. Union-nego- up to intrusive scrutiny and even more net. Throughout , but especially tiated contracts and unions themselves intrusive marketing targeted at each of throughout recent history, there is an have been under assault for some time, us. As our preferences become fodder ongoing tension between greed and often excused by corporate officers as a for advertisers, many people become

2 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 complicit in enhancing the profitabil- immediately and closely than ever be- selves and their values to the world, as ity of corporations. Each time someone fore, as Pope Francis recently observed as to their familial and social circle “likes” a corporate Facebook page, she in his 2014 World Communications members. Far flung families keep in or he lends personal influence to the Day message. It can also be misdirect- touch through e-mail, Skype and Face- carefully crafted messages corporations ed, so that individuals invest emotion- time, all of which help foster relation- use to influence our economic decisions ally in artificial relationships and even despite the geographic separa- and, through the phenomenon of the artificial people, such as in chat rooms tion. Activists use Facebook, Twitter filter bubble, limits the choices available where predators assume innocuous and cell phone networks to organize to individuals using and identities to identify potential victims, mass protests and other actions. At the web search sites.5 It is important to rec- or Facebook scams in which a con artist same time, these technologies carry the ognize that the technology itself risk that we will become “talking is neutral, as humanitarian agen- heads” to one another, or that we cies and advocacy organizations ...radical connectivity enables will take one another for grant- also use the same social media individuals to proclaim themselves ed as audiences before whom sites and applications to advance each of us “performs” our life. access to clean water, and their values to the world... Repressive governments have and preventive for the learned how to identify activists world's poor. pretends to be the a young relative of an and grassroots leaders through moni- Getting back to that social group be- elderly person. Turkle noted in a recent toring internet and cell phone traffic. having unsociably around a meal table, interview that many people prefer tex- Marketing specialists manipulate us by Sherry Turkle, a psychology professor ting over talking, whether in person or identifying our insecurities and hab- at MIT, took a long, empirical look at by , because it allows people its from our web usage. Technologies, the impact of technology on human to avoid confrontation and to present like , can be tools to empower, dignity in her 2011 book, Alone Togeth- themselves to others in a carefully cu- educate and connect us or weapons to er. Turkle believes the new information rated way. The latter is especially true wound and destroy us. and technologies are of young people, Turkle observes, and In his 2014 World Communications seductive in that they offer both en- notes that since our teen years are the Day message, Pope Francis noted: hanced socializing with people we seek time when we experiment the most out and the sense that we are active par- with our identity, this can be a good The speed with which information is ticipants in the lives of others and the thing.6 communicated exceeds our capacity for events in the news. That immediacy can On one side, radical connectivity reflection and judgment....Whenever be a very good thing, uniting us more enables individuals to proclaim them- communication is primarily aimed at promoting consumption or manipulat- ing others, we are dealing with a form of violent aggression... It is not enough to be passersby on the digital highways, sim- ply 'connected'; connections need to grow into true encounters...Media strategies do not ensure beauty, goodness and truth in communication. The world of media Nine in ten adults agree that DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY can turn also has to be concerned with humanity, interest in a cause into a movement more quickly than it too is called to show tenderness. The digital world can be an environment rich anything else. in humanity; a network not of wires but of people.

cc Nicholas Mele is a writer and activist who relies on new technologies in his work. He is on the Editorial Board of A Matter of Spirit.

Four in ve adults agree that digital technology Footnotes for all articles in this issue of AMOS can be found online at www.ipjc.org has created a fundamental shift in how social change occurs.

Source: Social Change Impact Report. Walden , 2011. www.WaldenU.edu/impactreport A MATTER OF SPIRIT 3

Americans believe that digital technology enhances social change by making it easier to do many things, particularly following news and events related to social change (79%) and increasing awareness about social change issues or needs (77%). The Double-Edged Sword Environmental & Social Impacts of Technology

by Joy Scrogum , and roads; and other ad- to cook, the production of , vances transformed the world, enabled the in the that could echnology is inherently ben- by relatively cheap production save your life, the majority of eficial. We might define technol- via fossil fuel consumption. The trans- that and people—can ogy roughly as the creation, use formation was atmospheric as well as be seen as benefits reaped from the Tand of tools, techniques or cultural. Increased fossil fuel use meant choice to build our world around fossil processes to perform a function, solve increased greenhouse gas emissions, fuel use. We may never have developed a problem or achieve a goal, or as a ref- which we currently understand certain technologies at all, or as quickly, erence to the problem-solving mecha- to global warming. In time, electrical without that choice. Now that we un- nisms themselves.1 When a problem is power became commercially viable; derstand the tie between fossil fuels and solved or a goal obtained, clearly some- internal combustion made au- global warming, we can’t simply flick a thing positive is happening. It’s easy to tomobiles practical; and manufactur- and instantly convert everything understand how stone projectile points ing developments made easier to to cleaner technologies. Our fossil fuel- benefitted early based took time to build, by providing greater suc- and it will take time to develop a new cess in hunting for food …technology marched forward alternative-based one. The behavioral and defense against pred- hand-in-hand with our reliance and technological changes necessary ators, or how written lan- to slow and reverse the damage we’ve guage improved our lives on fossil fuel consumption. done can seem overwhelming; perhaps by improving communi- that’s why some people deny the tie cation. But sticks and stones can break produce and thus, more affordable. We between our current technologies and human bones, and despite assurances can look back and see how technology climate change despite the consensus in otherwise, words can certainly hurt marched forward hand-in-hand with the . feelings, destroy and con- our reliance on fossil fuel consumption. In my work, I focus on electronic or manipulate rather than educate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Cli- technologies as examples of the dou- Technologies may cause as many prob- mate Change (IPCC) recently asserted ble-edged sword of . They also lems as they solve. Whatever the intent with 95% confi- of their creators, every tool we have at dence that human our disposal has the capacity for both activities tied to positive and negative impacts. Often we greater greenhouse are so focused on potential benefits that gas emissions, like we fail to anticipate costs associated fossil fuel consump- with our . Sometimes we’re tion, are the main incapable of anticipating certain costs cause of global because we lack the knowledge to rec- warming.2 Our cul- ognize the potential problems. ture, and A classic example of unintended infrastructure are negative consequences of technology based on the pro- is human-induced climate change. The duction of energy Industrial Revolution brought a wealth through the use of of new technologies that allowed for fossil fuels. Every- increased production and faster trans- thing we have come portation of goods, as well as people to depend on— who might consume them. Mecha- lights that allow nization of manufacturing processes; activity after sun- steam power; the expansion of rail- set, appliances used The E-waste centre of Agbogbloshie, , where is burned and disassembled with no safety or environmental considerations 4 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 versity StEP Initiative recently launched an interactive world illustrating e- waste production and flows. The map shows an average of 43 pounds of e-

©ENOUGH Project / Flickr CC 2.0 ©ENOUGH Project waste was produced per person in the world last year, and that based on cur- rent trends that annual volume could equal the weight of 11 Great of Giza by 2017.9 Another recent re- port shows that 1 billion smart phones were sold last year—enough for use by one seventh of the world’s popula- tion.10 Given the relatively short time frame over which cell phones are used before they’re replaced by consumers, this could translate into a lot of e-waste. Failure to recycle any e-waste means A boy minerals for in the Democratic Republic of Congo the loss of resources, including pre- contribute to climate change, not mere- water from chemicals used cious and rare earth minerals, used in ly because they use which in the mining process. Tin, tantalum, production as well as the landfilling of may have been produced through fos- tungsten and are used widely in hazardous materials. And in countries sil fuel combustion. The vast majority and are collec- where environmental regulations and of greenhouse gas emissions associated tively referred to as “conflict minerals.” worker safety laws are lax, “informal” with laptops, for example, happens dur- Mines in the Democratic Republic of of electronics involves crude ing manufacture, not use—more than Congo (DRC) are controlled by mili- methods detrimental to environmental 38 times as much.3 Information and tant groups which manipulate the pop- and worker health, such as opening de- communications technology (ICT) al- ulace who work in these mines through vices with ; using fire to melt lows for increased knowledge and data violent atrocities such as rape and mur- off metals; and separating ma- sharing. It can be used to extend the der. Profits from these mines finance terials with acid baths which are often ability to provide medical services to the continuing civil war. Awareness of then dumped into local rivers. remote areas,4 for example, and can fos- this unintended social impact of elec- Although problems are many and ter global awareness and understanding tronics production has to legisla- complex, all hope is not lost. Tools such of other crucial to advancing tion requiring manufacturers to audit as life cycle assessment (LCA) can be . Yet the data used by designers and manufacturers centers that ICT relies to improve materials choices; conserve upon are themselves ma- These powerful machines… resources in manufacturing processes; jor contributors to global should not be seen as disposable. and modify to maximize recov- warming, through elec- ery of materials in end-of-life manage- tricity used for operation ment. One of the best things consum- / Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia and cooling of servers.5 their supply chains and ensure the min- ers can do to mitigate these costs is buy Besides energy, vast amounts of erals they use are not sourced from the fewer devices. Evaluate wants vs. needs other resources go into the manufac- DRC.7 Recent scandals related to un- when considering purchases—is it re- ture of electronics. According to the safe and unfair working conditions in ally necessary to replace the device you © Marlenenapoli Electronics TakeBack Coalition, “Over Chinese Foxconn electronics factories own with the latest model when the one 1,000 materials, including chlorinated linked to injuries and deaths have fur- you have still works? Is your choice mo- solvents, brominated flame retardants, ther illustrated the hidden social costs tivated by practical reasons or a desire PVC, heavy metals, plastics and gases, of our ubiquitous devices.8 to keep up with trends and use devices are used to make electronic products On the waste end of the spectrum, as status symbols? Educate yourself on and their components— the EPA estimates that in 2009, 2.37 proper maintenance to keep devices chips, circuit boards, display panels and million short tons of electronics were running smoothly and use repair ser- disk drives.”6 ready for end-of-life in vices and do-it-yourself guides like Minerals must be mined, which can the US; only 25 percent were collected  Continued on page 7 The E-waste centre of Agbogbloshie, Ghana, where electronic waste is burned and cause erosion, habitat destruction and for recycling. The United Nations Uni- disassembled with no safety or environmental considerations A MATTER OF SPIRIT 5 Prospecting the : Data Mining & the Common Good

by Davin Heckman, PhD include things like the phone numbers impartially. Naturally, you can see the involved, time, duration and location.4 attraction for intelligence and law en- rivacy advocates have been warn- The data file itself is the actual con- forcement communities. ing the public about surveillance that metadata describes. This can The vast majority of data mining is and data mining for over a de- include anything that can be streamed driven by the private sector. Most peo- Pcade.1 Recent revelations by Edward or stored as digital content: the story in ple carry around digital devices that Snowden, a government contractor the book, the content of your conversa- use metadata to operate. We shop using turned whistleblower, have confirmed tion, the message sent over email, the credit cards and membership cards. We privacy advocates’ most dire warnings: image captured by your . This is use “free” services like Facebook and virtually all digital communication— information that takes time to decode, paid services like . We trans- internet searches, email, social media requires a high degree of interpretation, mit messages, browse the web, identify activity, phone calls, GPS data—may is often audio and/or visual and does our relationships, tag photos of people be monitored. Furthermore, nearly all not usually cohere to universal stan- that we know, store documents and the metadata is being mined.2 And it is dards. It is getting easier, though, for much more. Networking this informa- being done with the cooperation of the machines to read this sort of informa- tion and analyzing both its metadata private sector and foreign intelligence tion as well. and its deep content to build personal services. Moreover, we don’t seem to Metadata are descriptive and techni- profiles and behavioral models is what know who is using the data and how cal in nature and say little about what makes services like Google marketable. they are using it.3 the content of the file actually says. The And we can sense the contours of these It first might be useful to define profiles and their assumptions when two types of data. “Metadata” consists advertisements appear to reflect our of (1) the data about the data, or a ...virtually all digital interests. The private sector is infatu- formal description of what a file con- communication… ated with the very real prospect of first, tains—descriptive metadata—and (2) knowing who we are, and second, shap- what its relevant technical properties may be monitored. ing who we will become. are—structural metadata. Metadata is There are also examples of non- standardized to facilitate its compat- power of digital analysis is that these commercial and non-governmental ibility across contexts, platforms and relatively concise data points can be uses of these technologies. Researchers . When you search for a library read very quickly at very high volumes at Google tracked the spread of the flu book and see information about au- and can be subjected to automatic sta- by mining search data.5 Literary schol- thors, publishers, dates, subject key- tistical analysis to come to conclusions. ars use to understand the im- words, circulation records and so forth, Furthermore, data from one context pact that a cluster of writers has had on you are looking at a book’s metadata. In can be analyzed alongside data gener- the subsequent development of a field the case of files, metadata can ated in another context because they or the lifecycle of a genre of writing.6 include file type, size, authoring infor- are structured and codified. Because Political campaigns increasingly use a mation and date of creation. In the case the is indifferent to all but tangle of databases to build models and of cell phone records, metadata would what the algorithm specifies, it “reads” develop targeted messages.7 Projects

6 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 like Humanitarian Tracker can data a result of collaboration. Thus, they are mine crowdsourced reporting—read: As digital sensors not likely anxious to participate in pro- grassroots collaborative —to tracted public debates and further the respond to threats and crises.8 The increasingly pervade risk that transparency might pose to knowledge that is embedded in these our environment... their brand identities. The President’s networks has enormous potential.9 proposed domestic “reforms,” though Data mining, like most other re- the potential for they are simply meant to placate, are an search tools, is a two-edged sword. The use or misuse is too indication that pressure could nature of the public discussion, or lack produce positive change. thereof, means that this sword is being large to ignore. Third, we should consider ways to wielded with very little accountability empower citizens to use the tool and to and often against our interests. And appliances, on our bodies, in our cars, at guide its use. Some suggestions include: the two biggest drivers, the corpora- the office, when we shop, go to school, 1. The cultivation of an indepen- tion and the state, often work together, visit the doctor, go to the bank—the po- dent press and watchdog orga- further obscuring their operations and tential for use or misuse is too large to nizations that can meaningfully allowing a dystopian potential, whether ignore. monitor policy as it develops. in the hands of states, corporations or A happier human will require 2. The restoration of meaningful criminals.10 As digital sensors increas- changes in our approach. First, remem- checks and balances to the pro- ingly pervade our environment—in our ber that metadata remains the easiest cess in the form of actual Judicial to mine and interpret. We and Congressional oversight. should not underestimate 3. The promotion of legislation the difference between hu- which gives individuals power mans and hubristic misan- over their own records. thropologies of control.11 As with most social problems, there Second, we must pro- are no simple solutions—transparency, mote awareness. Snowden’s vigilance and accountability are neces- recent revelations were de- sary. ©google "flu tracker"/CC 2.0 nied by President Obama and inadequately covered cc Davin Heckman is Associate Professor by the press. The tech com- of Mass Communication at Winona panies who were named as State University, in Winona, MN. He is the author of A Small World: Smart collaborators with the NSA and the Dream of the Perfect program, some of who Day (Duke UP: 2008). have attempted to push back publicly, have suffered economic consequences as Flu trends around the world 02/25/2014

 "Impacts of Technology" continued from page 5 those available on iFixit.com to extend they’ve taken to “green” their products, itself. We have the power to develop the useful life of electronics for as long or that you want to see items made to technologies with care; use them with as possible. These powerful machines, last with easy upgrades and repairs. caution and respect; and redesign them invested with so many environmen- Ultimately, manufacturers are driven as we become aware of unintended tal and social resources, should not be by market demands, so do all that you consequences. seen as disposable. When purchases are can to create a demand for responsi- made, consider buying used or refur- bility and mindfulness. Sell or donate cc Joy Scrogum is an Emerging Technolo- bished devices and consult resources unwanted devices that still function.13 gies Resource Specialist at the Illinois like the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Learn about recycling opportunities Sustainable Technology Center. She is 11 currently the Co-Coordinator for ISTC's Electronics and the EPEAT product in your area (Earth911.com), and use Sustainable Electronics Initiative and 12 registry to choose devices produced electronics recyclers certified to process the project director for the Internation- with fewer negative environmental and materials safely and responsibly.14 al Sustainable Electronics Competition. social impacts. Contact manufacturers Technology may be a double-edged to let them know you appreciate steps sword, but no sword forges or wields

A MATTER OF SPIRIT 7 Considering Technology for Worship by Quentin Schultze, PhD

e have essentially four op- tions when it comes to de- ciding what to do with tech- Wnology in worship. First, we can reject a technology for a host of reasons. The financial costs might be excessive, espe- cially in light of a congregation’s com- mitments to missions, social justice, will find that particular technologies do creasingly emphasizes didactic instruc- education, and more. Rejecting older or not fit well with various modes, styles, tion as the “delivery of information.” newer technologies can be a reasonable or orders of worship. They might in- The problem with adopting tech- decision, especially if they will weaken deed discover that because of the wor- nologies from outside of worship is that worship or dissolve congregational fel- tradition of their own congrega- usually we fail to consider their unin- lowship or interfere with to the tion, projection screens do not foster tended impacts on liturgy. As Winston community. better worship. Churchill said of , “We One of the major concerns that many A second option is to adopt tech- shape our and afterwards congregations have is that presenta- nologies—to bring them directly into our buildings shape us.”2 The same is tional technologies automatically will worship. Adoption is the uncritical, un- true for all technological practices. As transform worship into entertainment. reflective practice of using new technol- we adopt and institutionalize them, This apprehension is rarely challenged ogies more or less as they are employed technologies generally modify how we because it seems so matter-of-fact. by people in nonliturgical settings. We think, feel, and communicate. critic Neal Gabler writes, “The popular all know, for example, that audio ampli- Churches are apt to adopt new megachurch - technologies that symbolize power, ment of the 1990s, which the church wants to use for which attracted thou- ...technologies generally modify how good. One high-tech church speaks of sands of worshipers we think, feel, and communicate. the concept of “M to the Power of 3… to cavernous auditori- MultiCULTURAL, MultiSENSORY, ums, even implement- MultiMEDIA.” This was the title of a ed the same devices as any rock group fication systems and microphones are church’s conference designed to teach trying to fill a stadium: not only the used in many different ways in , participants from other flocks about music but light shows and huge over- some of which may be appropriate for “integrating media, environment and head projectors illustrating sermons worship. into your worship experiences or showing video clips. Some even had Many congregations acquire their creating spaces for life transforma- cappuccino carts and food courts.”1 Ga- ideas about how to use video clips and tion.”3 An organization that promotes bler’s argument does not make it clear slides from outside the church. Two the use of cutting-edge technology in how the technologies necessarily con- sources of external influence are busi- liturgy advocates “‘the best’ in technol- tributed to the state of affairs that he de- ness and education, where PowerPoint ogy to match the standards set by the scribes. Many high-tech churches sim- is largely a teaching technology for con- entertainment industry.”4 ply do not fall into Gabler’s stereotype. veying bullets of information. It should This kind of about the Nevertheless, we have to take pos- not surprise us, then, that unreflective- power of media to influence people sible problems seriously as we consider ly adopting this kind of presentational usually first surfaces in industry. One the role of presentational technologies technology sometimes leads a congre- of the founders of the television chan- in worship. And some congregations gation toward a style of worship that in- nel MTV said during the channel’s

8 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 particularly interested in creating new …we face lives of multimedia, multi- technologies, although a growing num- ber of liturgical artists are creating wor- messaging, and multi-confusion. thy material for worship. ©DaKohlmeyer /Flickr©DaKohlmeyer CC 2.0 Increasingly, we face lives of multi- early years, “Our core put the purpose of worship ahead of the media, multi-messaging, and multi- audience is the televi- use of technology, we place demands confusion. This might convince us to sion babies who grew on when, how, where, and especially slow down enough to reconsider how up on TV and Rock why we use particular technologies. high-tech we want our lives to be. Is & Roll…. The stron- We cannot merely fall back on rhetoric the church contributing to thoughtless gest appeal you can about creating a “new visual language,” ? Is worship, in particular, make… is emotion- “speaking to youth,” or even “staying better off if it pursues high-tech “prog- ally. If you can get relevant.” Instead, we have to justify the ress”? Should worship by nature be less their emotions going, use of media within specific liturgical high-tech and more high-touch? Or is [make them] forget practices as worship. I advocate this ap- there a place for high-tech worship that their logic, you’ve proach. is humbly done, thoughtful, beauti- got ’em.” He added The fourth approach to using tech- ful, and presumably pleasing to God? I that MTV’s mood is nology in worship, creation, gives the think so. “greater than the sum of its parts” and church the most autonomy. Churches lauded the network for introducing could support talented people and in- Excerpted from Worship? Using Presenta- programming that relies on “mood and stitutions in the development of tech- tional Technologies Wisely (2004) by Quentin J. Schul- 5 tze. Used by permission of Baker , a division of emotion.” nological innovations specifically for Baker Publishing Group. Thethird approach to using technol- worship. In other words, rather than http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com ogy in worship is adaptation—wisely trying to adapt technologies from other adapting new technologies to fit liturgi- contexts (like buying “secular” art for cc Quentin Schultze is the Arthur H. cal purposes. This is a difficult way to adorning church walls), congregations Dekruyter Chair in communication at proceed. It requires us to think careful- could become much more technologi- Calvin College and author of many books, including High-Tech Worship? ly about the best ways to use communi- cally proactive as patrons of liturgical He speaks widely on communication- cation technologies within worship for art and presentational technologies. related topics and writes a blog at distinctly liturgical purposes. Once we Unfortunately, the church today is not quentinschultze.com. Changing the World, One Upload at a Time by Cassandra Hunter to switch schools in good. And so We Stop Hate was born. order to escape her tor- The message of We Stop Hate is at If you Google the name menters. “I lost a lot of once simple and powerful: love yourself. Emily-Anne Rigal, you’ll my self-respect and my “We focus on raising your self-esteem find more inspiration, mo- self-esteem… Starting as a way to stop bullying and promote tivation and positivity than at a place where no- peace,” Emily-Anne said in an interview most people put out in a body knew who I was with Forbes Magazine, calling the cause lifetime—yet Emily-Anne gave me a chance to be “teen-esteem.” Hundreds of videos have is barely 19 years old. She open and to be myself, been posted to WeStopHate.org, all with is a student at Barnard and people gravitated a message of self-love and positivity. And toward that.” Her self- just as Emily-Anne had experienced when College, founder and di- Emily-Anne Rigal rector of the non-profit We Stop Hate and esteem began to im- she switched schools and had the freedom Lady Gaga’s self-proclaimed “hero.” It’s prove drastically throughout high school, to become comfortable in her own identity, hard to imagine that she once told a young as did her connections with her peers. the contributors to We Stop Hate are able girl, frustrated with not knowing how or She began making cute, goofy YouTube to connect, blossom, shape their own iden- where to start to change the world, “I think videos under the name Schmiddlebopper tities and finally feel heard. The campaign that starting small really is the way to do and was able to connect with a larger com- has spread to Twitter, Facebook and now things.” munity, particularly teens. She realized that on-the-ground in the form of “compliment- And “start out small” she did. she could meet teens on their ground— grams” in high schools. Bullied throughout her childhood for her online—and start to spread a message of The effects have been life-changing, and weight, Emily-Anne was eventually forced positivity by using social media for social they started with a YouTube video.

A MATTER OF SPIRIT 9 The Digital Angels of our Nature by Michael Bugeja, PhD

In conversation with our Editorial Board, author Michael Bugeja expressed the im- portance of sounding an alarm as we ex- amine the intersection of morality and tech- nology. In the following article, he takes the long view in naming what will be required for personal and communal moral agency to influence our current digital dilemmas.

s I write in mid-January 2014, these stories about health care, national security and privacy CC 2.0 ©IntelFreePress/Flickr Aheadline the news: telligence agencies now must seek world undergoing horrendous change ■■ “Concerns Linger About Enroll- permission from a clandestine associated with morality and machines. ment Glitches as Millions Start court before tapping telephone As an ethicist, I have stood on the New Health Coverage”—PBS data. shoulders of giants: , Mar- News Hour ■■ Target, the department super- shall McLuhan, Neal Postman and Clif- ■■ “Obama Calls for Overhaul of store, was the victim of credit card ford G. Christians, to name a few. El- N.S.A.’s Phone Data Collection theft afflicting up to 110 million lul was a French-Maltese philosopher. Program”—New York Times customers, prompting Homeland McLuhan, best known for his maxim, ■■ “After Target Breach, Homeland Security to warn merchants about the medium is the message, was a com- Security Warns Retailers”—CNN the malware at the source of the munication theorist. Postman was a Your news may differ somewhat crime. professor and author of a famous book from mine, because a computer on television, Amusing Ourselves to program or application may be We are living in a world Death. Christians, research professor selecting stories for you by tar- emeritus of communication at the Uni- geting your demographics—age, undergoing horrendous versity of Illinois, is the foremost media marital status, income—or psy- change associated with ethicist writing today. chographics—politics, travel, My contribution to is in the brands. In any case, you should morality and machines. definition of the human condition— be familiar with some aspect of how it governs our behavior and how these stories: All three stories on this day indi- we can harness its power. It has two ■■ The Obama administration noted rectly involve a topic I have researched components: consciousness and con- that 975,000 people signed up since 1999 during the tech boom that . Consciousness tells us we for coverage in December which, promised a global village, delivered a come into the world alone and we leave some believe, means the govern- global mall and changed the nature of it alone. Conscience tells us what is in ment has solved glitches under- our relationships and with that, our val- me is in you. We must deal with those mining the Affordable Care Act ues and beliefs. conflicting messages on a daily basis, a since October 2013. These are huge claims, of course. difficult enough challenge in a world ■■ Because of the actions of Edward One requires a book to address them.1 without technology. Add omnipresent Snowden, former National Se- The best I can do here, in this small but machinery to modern life, robbing us curity Agency contractor who precious space, is present some basic of time to contemplate, meditate and leaked top-secret documents, in- tenets on this truth: We are living in a yes, pray, and our lives become hid-

10 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 eously complex and, dare I say, lonely and theorized by Christians. Media: The Extensions of Man: despite all those tweets, posts and texts. The nature of technology is that of a Mine is not a modern-day version scorpion. It is what it is, neither moral In a culture like ours, long accus- of the Christian “shoulder angel,” with nor immoral. There is a reason for that: tomed to splitting and dividing all things conscience on the right shoulder and it is programmed to achieve a certain re- as a means of control, it is sometimes a consciousness on the left. The shoul- sult. Technology as we know it in our bit of a shock to be reminded that, in op- der angel actually is a literary device so homes and offices was developed by the erational and practical fact, the medium characters may wax philosophic about US military and enhanced by industry; is the message. That is merely to say that sinful enticements. The good angel on hence, it does two things efficiently: it the personal and social consequences the right shoulder symbolizes the con- surveils and sells, often simultaneously. of any medium—that is, of any exten- science and the devil on the left, temp- Ellul believed technology is “a self- sion of ourselves—result from the new tation. That depiction dates back to the determining organism or end in itself scale that is introduced into our affairs Roman non-canonical book, The Shep- whose autonomy transformed centu- by each extension of ourselves, or by any herd of Hermas, whence it was decreed ries’ old systems while being scarcely new technology.4 that there are two angels in us: “One of modified in its own features.”3 righteousness and one of wickedness.”2 In simple terms, that means tech- When McLuhan asserts that the me- From an ethical standpoint, con- nology changes everything it touches dium is the message, he doesn’t mean sciousness is not a wicked angel but without changing much itself. Intro- that technology changes the message: gives us a sense of awareness, involving duce technology into the economy, and of course it does that. He means that it

©IntelFreePress/Flickr CC 2.0 ©IntelFreePress/Flickr ...technology changes everything it touches without changing much itself.

how our interactions affect or influence suddenly the economy is all about the changes the environment, or culture, of others and ourselves. By expanding technology. Introduce it into journal- human interaction and discourse. Just our awareness, we can foresee conse- ism, and journalism is all about the look at neighbors and passersby in the quences of our actions before taking technology. Introduce it into education, street; texting, talking into palms and them and minimize harm. Neither is business—even religion—and you have ignoring their surroundings—to the conscience the angel of righteousness, the same effect. Moreover, if you fail to point of into traffic. According but an intuitive knowledge of right and honor the myriad rules of technology, to Forbes Magazine, texting distractions wrong associated with truth-telling, requiring a phalanx of technicians, it may have been responsible for 4,280 non-violence and human dignity. Con- ceases to work. pedestrian fatalities in 2010.5 Those science informs us how to live among McLuhan coined the famous phrase distractions not only threaten interper- and view others in community. My “the medium is the message” in the sonal relationships but also the fabric of work focuses on how to harmonize opening paragraph of Understanding society as we knew it only a few years consciousness with conscience so that one informs the other and influences our actions. When those twin compo- nents of human condition synchronize, we feel grounded, confident and able to cope with the rigors, challenges, oppor- tunities and joys of life.

The problem is, the din of technolo- 2.0 ©bobmartens.net/CC gy rules our day. We are losing the abil- ity to hear that still, small voice of the conscience. Worse, because technology is asynchronous—transcending both time and space—we are also losing our sense of awareness, especially about our physical surroundings. Both phenom- ena are exacerbated by tenets of tech- nology as foreseen by Ellul, prophesied by McLuhan, documented by Postman

A MATTER OF SPIRIT 11 ago. We are inundated with advertis- headlining the news on that particular How do we address mega stories like ing pitches because our networks, web- day in January 2014: this in a publication dedicated to peace sites and applications—in addition to ■■ “Concerns Linger About Enroll- and justice? I need to be frank: moral- viruses and malware—have surveilled ment Glitches as Millions Start ity cannot develop around technology our demographics and psychographics. New Health Coverage.” It’s the because its nature neither endures “any Technology knows what we want, and fourth month of the Affordable moral judgment” nor tolerates “any in- it aims to give it to us, 24/7 from any Care Act, and we’re still talking sertion of morality” in the technician’s location with wireless access. about the technology rather than work.9 In other words, one can suggest More than anything in this new en- our health. Introduce technology ethical rules of behavior concerning In- vironment, we do not want to be bored. into the health , and the ternet or mobile devices, but We become so now when not looking at conversation becomes all about and those devices are not programmed a screen, during any lull but especially the technology. for moral development; typically, they when driving. The US Transportation ■■ “Obama Calls for Overhaul of are programmed to surveil or sell. Department reports that 660,000 driv- N.S.A.’s Phone Data Collection To be sure, we use technology for ers use cell phones at any given time Program.” Patriot or traitor, you the social good. There are thousands while traveling during daylight hours.6 decide; but Edward Snowden ac- of websites and initiatives dedicated This makes a crash 23 times more to that. There are just as many that likely. Distraction is worse in the aim to exploit others and/or waste college classroom. One study our time. The problem is digital claims 90% of college students text exploitation and time-filling giz- each other during lecture.7 mos, and applications cre- Postman prophesied this in ate enormous revenue streams and 1990. He warned that students thereby have more dominant pro- would be “easy targets for adver- ©TheRogue/Flickr CC 2.0 gramming and distribution. tising agencies,” especially when How, then, might we develop, “schools teach their children to create and sustain a morality of operate computerized systems in- technology and its use? Technology stead of teaching things that are has so infiltrated our lives that its more valuable to children.” When- values—immediacy, materialism, ever you introduce technology into asynchronicity, amorality—may a system, Postman knew, there are be in the process of supplanting winners and losers. Students lost universal values. Christians would critical thinking. call this a “protonorm”: agreement across cultures about the sanctity of Should the losers grow skepti- life.10 The only way to combat that cal, the winners dazzle them with the Power is at the core of is through the educational system in a wondrous feats of , many of long-term strategy aimed at enhancing which have only marginal relevance to the technology debate. literary, scientific and critical thinking the quality of the losers' lives but which skills. As a country, we’re too amused are nonetheless impressive. Eventually, cessed secrets because our spy right now to make that commitment. the losers succumb, in part because they network computer needed up- Maybe the shoulder angels—hu- believe that the specialized knowledge of and maintenance … or it manity on the right, technology on the the masters of a computer technology is a would cease to work. left—are at work after all. form of wisdom. The masters, of course, ■■ “After Target Breach, Homeland come to believe this as well. The result is Security Warns Retailers.” Iden- cc Michael Bugeja, director of the jour- that certain questions do not arise, such tity theft is a gross violation of nalism school at Iowa State University, as, to whom will the computer give great- privacy. Cybercriminals heisted is the author of Living Ethics Across Media Platforms and Interpersonal er power and freedom, and whose power the potential to assume identifies Divide: The Search for Community in 8 and freedom will be reduced. of 110 million people, more than a Technological Age (Oxford University one-third of the population of the Press); both winners of the Clifford G. Power is at the core of the technol- United States. This is a prime ex- Christians Award for Research in Media ogy debate. We see this in the news ample of technology’s amoral abil- Ethics. every day. Let’s return to those stories ity to surveil and sell.

12 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 When I Post, I Wonder… by Dan Masterton on Facebook. When I post an album, I wonder, am I trying to show off and mericans of all ages are on their evoke jealousy, or connect others to the phones more and more—in an memories that my friends and family average day, we spend three are making? Ahours on social media and unlock our I enjoy sharing articles from news phones 110 times.1 The proliferation of sites, others’ blogs and religion and Internet-connected mobile devices is spirituality pages. When I share an ar- Friedman/Flickr CC 2.0 ©Lynn increasing the frequency with which we ticle or a post from my blog, I wonder, check in on our many news-feeds. am I fueling petty buzz, or am I try- When it comes to my phone, I try ing to spur others to authentic curios- only to send texts to inform others in ity that moves us to deeper justice and little bits or else pop in on someone faith? for fun; if it’s going to go more than a I love to use social media as an ag- couple texts back and forth, I just call. gregator of that which my friends and numbers, disable notification pop-ups But now it’s more than just texts and others with common values feel is im- on my mobile devices and limit myself calls—it’s Tweets, Timelines, Vines, In- portant. The temptation is to editorially mostly to WiFi rather than the ubiq- stagrams and Snapchats. So how do I tailor the image of myself that they see. uitous 3G network. This way I can be limit these things? That’s why I try to be honest, modest plugged in, but not all the way. I try to and simple: if Facebook be technologically active but only so didn’t exist, would I much as it complements my relation- If Facebook didn’t exist… would I still share my sarcastic ships and daily interactions in modera- still print out my photos and show thoughts aloud to oth- tion. ers? Would I still print them to friends? out my photos and show cc Dan Masterton lives in Chicago, them to friends? Would IL. A graduate of the University of In all my online activity, I try to walk I still dog-ear magazines and cut out Notre Dame (‘11), Dan is the Campus Minister at Bishop Noll Institute in the right side of a fine line—am I hon- newspaper articles to share with others? Hammond, IN, and a Bernadin Scholar estly, modestly and simply sharing my When the answer is yes, then I post. working toward a Masters in Theol- life, or seeking to create and sculpt an I share myself authentically. And in ogy at Catholic Theological Union in online image of myself? I think the im- between it all, I turn off the little red Chicago, IL. pact that my social media use has on my life and relationships comes from Questions for Reflection the way I choose to use it. I like to make “Seinfeld”-ian com- `` As we look at the role of technology today, we can feel overwhelmed or empow- ments, observational humor à la the ered. How might we “co-create” a world with the skills and technologies we have? mundane conversations between Jerry and George on the ’90s sitcom. Some- `` How might our ways of using technology hinder that co-creation? times, I share my snark via Facebook status. When I’m considering posting, I `` How am I connecting with people and the world around me in daily life? How am wonder, am I doing this to get likes and I connecting to the Divine? comments, or simply rebroadcasting `` Do I have rules for myself about when and how I use technology? When do I allow what I’d say to people in conversation? technology to interrupt me? I love to take pictures. I’ve posted over 100 Facebook albums with com- `` In what ways do I use technology for good or as a time filler? prehensive captions, photo-tags and clever titles. Pictures reinforce memo- `` Am I aware of the impact of my technology on the environment? What might I do ries and animate the narratives of life, to offset it? and I like to tell these stories visually

A MATTER OF SPIRIT 13 ``Young Adult Interfaith Conference ``Catholic Advocacy Day 2014 Many Faiths, One Humanity

550 people, 123 legislative meetings! ``JustFaith Journey to Justice

130 young adults from diverse faith traditions experienced one another's prayer; heard keynote speaker Dr. Susannah Heschel promote interfaith collaboration; participated in robust discussions; and attended workshops. 7 parishes participated in the

Participant Highlights immersion facilitated by IPJC WWExperiencing the rush of being surrounded by diversity in the name ``"Good News People" visit IPJC of peace! WWI had no idea how powerful and meaningful tonight would be. Several groups Thank you for creating such a wonderful event that touched so many people of all different faiths! from Our Lady of WWA highlight was meeting people of different faiths and realizing the Guadalupe Church similarities and struggles we share. explored our Participants charted the ways that they would like to continue their interfaith relationship building and actions to address social justice ministry issues. www.ipjc.org ▪ A Culture of Violence ▪ Gender ▪ Social Media ▪ IPJC Justice Cafés ▪ Positive Peacemakers ▪ Water ▪ Human Trafficking ▪ 206.223.1138

14 NO. 102 / SPRING 2014 Roma, Lesotho Houston, TX Oakland, CA Monterrey, Mexico Davidson, NC Seattle, WA Salt Lake City, UT Grand Rapids, MI NEWS • ANNOUNCEMENTS • EVENTS

Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center Spring Benefit 2014 "Miracle on 65th Street" April 9th, 2014 5:30pm—7:30pm Spirits, hors d'oeuvres and dessert buffet Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center 1216 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115 Donation $25.00 Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center Look for your invitation in the mail! Miracle on 65th Street Lenten Resources ``IPJC Parish Contemplative ``Stations of the Cross Dialogue Circles Reflect on the passion We are inviting parishes to pilot a new contemplative dialogue of Jesus and witness process. The six sessions include: to the suffering of all 1. Contemplation & Dialogue Introduction of creation today. 2. Contemplation 3. Contemplation & Listening The 15 Stations consider the suffering of Jesus, our planet 4. Dialogue: Exploring Different Perspectives and its people and envision 5. Dialogue: Going Deeper resurrection and new life. 6. Stories of Transformation Each Station includes: Scripture, meditation on the Cross in Contact IPJC for more information Creation and a reflection [email protected] ▪ 206.223.1138 question. www.ipjc.org ▪ A Culture of Violence ▪ Gender ▪ Social Media ▪ IPJC Justice Cafés ▪ Positive Peacemakers ▪ Water ▪ Human Trafficking ▪ 206.223.1138

A MATTER OF SPIRIT 15 Roma, Lesotho Houston, TX Oakland, CA Monterrey, Mexico Davidson, NC Seattle, WA Salt Lake City, UT Grand Rapids, MI NON-PROFIT ORG. US Postage PAID Seattle, WA 1216 NE 65th St Permit No. 4711 Seattle, WA 98115-6724 Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center return service requested

This Issue: Technology 206.223.1138 • [email protected] • www.ipjc.org

SPONSORING Technology by the Numbers COMMUNITIES Adrian Dominican Sisters Congregation of the Sisters Average number of hours/day a user of St. Joseph of Peace 1 Oregon Province Jesuits 3.6 spends on social networking Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S. Ontario Province Sisters of Providence, Seventy Percent Mother Joseph Province 2 Sisters of St. Francis of People in the world without access to the internet Philadelphia Tacoma Dominicans

AFFILIATE COMMUNITIES 75% 22% Benedictine Sisters of Of the world Of people Cottonwood, Idaho Benedictine Sisters of Lacey population has a and globally have a 3 Benedictine Sisters of smartphone4 Mt. Angel Religious of the Sacred Heart Sinsinawa Dominicans Sisters of Charity of the Of the US population who says the worst thing Blessed Virgin Mary about a cell phone is always being connected5 Sisters of St. Joseph of 24% Carondelet Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Increase in in developing countries Society of the Holy Child Jesus 6 Ursuline Sisters of the if the Internet was accessible and affordable Roman Union 25% EDITORIAL BOARD The number of people who could be lifted Timnit Ghermay 7 Gretchen Gundrum out of poverty with Internet accessibility Linda Haydock, SNJM million Vince Herberholt 160 Tom Hulscher Cassandra Hunter Nick Mele “The meaning of things lies not in the things Editor: Annapatrice Clarke Layout: Justin Almeida themselves, but in our attitude towards them.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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