Sunday, December 14, 2008
Conniry #9: Technology, Imperialism and Faith
9. I said that radio, television, and the Internet have brought the global village into the living room of Western civilization, rousing it from its imperialistic slumber and forcing it to reckon with the fact that humankind looks at the world in vastly differ-ent ways. I also observed that this realization was a bit slow in coming for those of us in the U.S. Be prepared to discuss the “net effect” of this realization in terms of the social and spiritual dispositions of contemporary culture.
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The “net effect of rousing Western culture from its imperialistic slumber,” has been increased tolerance for cultural, ethnic and religious diversity as well as openness to alternative reality narratives. In particular, metanarratives connected to modern science and Western rational enlightenment ways of thinking were frowned upon or at least relegated to a lower position or just one way to knowledge among equals.
ReplyDeleteThis lead to Western society becoming more hospitable to mystery and tolerant of realities that do not allow exploration via the tools of reason or the scientific method. One of the primary consequences of that was openness to spirituality while at the same time becoming more closed to religiosity. In practical terms, religion was seen as traditional beliefs and expressions thereof (like church attendance), whereas “spirituality” was viewed as nontraditional beliefs and practices, mysticism and negativity towards institutional churches and their representatives.
-CL