1. 1. There is a spectrum of thought as it pertains to technology in the Christian church, from hostile to technology to that of the Christian faith being a byproduct of technology.
   2. Of all the different perspectives one may hold regarding technology related to the faith, one thing is certain, it should be subjected to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, just like everything else.
   3. “We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.” M McLuhan. Technology has an effect on shaping society.
   4. Technology has an effect on shaping the human brain.

1. 1. There has been a growing awareness in those who have experienced the changes from before they were Internet consumers that something is occurring in brain development; particularly, a decay in sustained attention, increased distractability, and a shallowing of the ability to think deeply and exhaustively on a given subject. (Is the Internet Changing the Way You Think by Brockman; The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains by Carr)
   2. The brain is plastic (meaning malleable). As such, the brain’s neural network changes in response to life experiences. The neural network is the way the nerves arrange and form themselves to interact with environments.
   3. The premiere authority on the subject of brain plasticity, Dr. Michael Merzenich, has studied the subject for over 50-years, published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, founded an app called BrainHQ, and received multiple awards for innovation in the field. He confirms that there are massive and unprecedented differences in brain plasticity between those who have only known life as Internet consumers and previous generations.
   4. The group was encouraged to download and use the free app BrainHQ, developed by Dr. Merzenich, particularly if they have aging parents/grandparents.
   5. Using the Internet also has a shaping effect on the brain. Researchers noted in fMRI studies that enlargement in a specific area of the brain (nucleus accumbens) of those engaged heavily in gaming that is similar to compulsive gamblers (Kuhn, Schilling, et al. 2011).
   6. Researchers presented subjects images of faces and objects. The brain waves of those not engaged in high Internet use were compared to the group who did not regularly use the Internet. The non-Internet groups brain-waves responded stronger and sooner to faces than objects, whereas the high Internet users’ brain waves were smaller and more delayed in the high Internet users, showing possible associations to autism spectrum (He, Liu, Guo, and Zhao, 2011). So, if you read charts on mental health statistics, the amount of autism diagnoses in teens and young adults have skyrocketed since about 2005, when media consumption averaged around 2.5-hours per day.
   7. We noted that entire teams of engineers are dedicated to using social psychology stimulus to make digital media more addictive. It is called “Social Hacking” or “Growth Hacking.”
   8. We shared that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in Section III identified “Internet Use Disorder” as something needing ongoing study.
   9. We noted the work of neuroscientist, Dr. Susan Greenfield, member of the House of Lords and Senior Fellow at Oxford, focusing research on Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease. In her work, Mind Change, she concluded a link between heavy Internet users, autistic spectrum disorders, and under functioning prefrontal cortex.
   10. Then we skipped down to slide 32, which talked about both the positive and negative effects of gaming. On the positive side is 1) Improved visual memory. 2) Hand-eye coordination. 3) Cognitive Flexibility 4) Short-Term & Working Memory. On the negative side is 1)Addiction, 2) Proactive Executive Control (which diminishes the ability to control impulses), 3) Increased aggression, and 4) Desensitization.
   11. We summed by concluding that research has settled that extensive use of the Internet/digital media affects attention (shorter), executive functions (less impulse control), memory (more episodic), desensitization, among others. There are also improved mental capacities and behaviors that can be cultivated with proper use of the Internet over time.
   12. We asked everyone to reflect on the question, “Are you controlling the Internet or is it controlling you?”

1. 1. What was not mentioned is that the more we use certain aspects of our brain the larger the network and connections, along with density of connective tissue. In effect, what you do often becomes dominant within the brain. In turn, those items that are left dormant, are “pruned.” In other words, use it or lose it.
   2. So, the more time spent the more habituated you become to a cognitive process or behavior. Depending on the arousal of affect, dopamine and/or endorphin rush, there is an increased risk of addiction – particularly with those who are predisposed to Addictive Personality Disorders (APD).
   3. We skipped over the slide regarding the regions of the brain. By virtue of studying the neural networks that are activated in certain regions of the brain, researchers are able to identify which networks effect cognitive and affective behaviors.
      The frontal cortex is not fully developed until about 24-years-old. As such, impulse resistance is more difficult in adolescents and young adults. For older adults, blood flow and lack of use in regions of the brain, can cause atrophy.
   4. We skipped the slide on the Psychology of Motivation. These are the “tricks” being used by those teams of software engineers to manipulate your brain…
      1. There are many Physiological and Biological contributions toward motivation. Most digital media is designed to arouse emotion to release dopamine or endorphins. These “pleasure” chemicals lead to more engagement.
      2. On the heels of the late 19th century work of Edward Thorndike, B. F. Skinner developed the theory of Operant Conditioning in the early 1940s. The theory holds that behaviors are shaped by punishments and reinforcements. For example, Joe Toscano, Google Former Experience Design Consultant, Author Automating Humanity, said “Each time you scroll down with your finger, a new thing pops up. Scrolling down with your finger, in psychology is called a positive intermittent reinforcement.”
      3. Expectancy-Value theory was proposed by psychologist Martin Fishbein and his colleague Icek Ajzen in the 1960s and 1970s. It claims that behavior is influenced by an expectation of success and value the person places on the outcomes or rewards of a certain behavior. Gaming is filled with this underlying design.
      4. Psychiatrist William Glasser’s Choice Theory emphasizes that behavior is driven by our innate need for control, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.
      5. Carl Rogers’ Self-Esteem theory emphasizes the importance of unconditional positive regard and self-acceptance for healthy psychological development.
      6. Cognitive Dissonance (Equity, Balance, and Dissonance) Theory was developed by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s. Stanley Milgram (1963) conducted a famous “compliance experiment” with electric shock, pretending to turn up the voltage every time a person missed a problem. Solomon Asch (1965) conducted a “conformity experiment” where a group of confederates intentially gave the wrong answer to see if a participant would conform to the group. They most often did.
      7. Attribution theory, developed by psychologist Fritz Heider, claimed the behavior was affected by how individuals interpret and explain the causes of behavior, both their own and others’.
      8. Audience Effect theory, also known as Social Conditioning or Facilitation theory, was initially studied by psychologist Norman Triplett in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Zajonc (1972) conducted an experiment where even “roaches” were excited and performed better with other roaches around. Research clearly says that peer-approval is Number ONE motivator. Consider the “Like” button.
   5. It is both fair and accurate to characterize most designs of digital media as reckless. They are designed to generate money by maintaining attention through intentional manipulative design features, irrespective of the spiritual-psychological damage to the user.
   6. The two most dangerous mental minefields are social-media platforms and gaming.
   7. Carefully designed media that accounts for the mental wellbeing of its users is rare, but quite beneficial for productivity, mental health, and human flourishing.

1. Realize the danger. If you don’t really acknowledge and believe that there is a danger to indiscriminate internet use, you won’t do anything about it.
2. Break any addictive properties. Some are more susceptible than others when it comes to addictions. One software engineer I read said that Reddit was so addictive that he had to write a program that would break him from the habit. If you are not very susceptible, you might just create space between you and your phone. Keep your cell phone in a different room until you have a scheduled time to “check your messages.”
3. Like cigarettes, social media are the most addictive of all the current digital platforms. So, how break addictions to social media?
   1. Get rid of all social media except the one that least affects you. It took one-month to get rid of Facebook. I notified all my “real” friends that I would be leaving Facebook in one-month on a certain date. I harvested almost 10-years of family and friend photos and most enjoyable memes off the site. I explained how people could get ahold of me (DM, email, text) if they wanted to chat. Then, I pulled the trigger and deleted the account on the date I set.
   2. With the one remaining social media (I don’t consider linkedin as one of these), delete ALL of the fake friends that are just populating your feed with mess. Since these are like wire-hangers in a closet, you’ll have to periodically do a dump of those who have gravitated into your feed. Keep it lean and mean. ONLY family and friends in real life, and essential content providers. I don’t mean “influencers,” I mean content providers.
   3. Get all other items you need to regulate your lives off your cell phone, as all those unnecessary apps are harvesting data, buying and trading it, creating personas on you to better manipulate you the next time. So, if you need to keep time, get a watch or clock. If you get easily distracted with apps, get a paper Bible.
4. What about the news? We live in an age of sophists who constantly spin narratives to please their corporate/government paymasters. They are not news. They are propaganda machines. Even ideologically-driven news sources like Epoch Times and Blaze come at news items with bias, but at least they let you know their bias ahead of time. I also try to stay away from “Influencers,” as they tend to let their public persona overtake the truth of a news item.
   Instead, create a trusted network of independent “old school” journalists that are truth-tellers. I don’t mean “old” journalist. By “old school,” I mean they verify any claims they make with several credible sources. The don’t do single-source, anonymous sources. One of the most impressive investigative reporters I’ve found, who is “old school,” is a 22-year-old graduate of the University of Chicago, named Natalie Winters. The cream of the crop, in my book is John Solomon. Almost at that pinnacle is an investigative reporter named Lara Logan. Also, there is Darren J. Bettie, John Fitton, and the intrepid James O’Keefe. They all seem to side to one side on the political spectrum, but there are others. Once I hear of something being reported that may be slanted, if it is important, I try to go to original sources and/or subject matter experts (SMEs).