Taking every thought captive

Tony Reinke has posted a lecture given by the late Neil Postman on Technology and Society. As far as I can make out, this is Postman’s lecture entitled “Questioning the Media” from Calvin College’s January Series lectures, delivered on 12 January 1998, though the video has a different datestamp.

I’ve only ever read Postman’s books before, so it was interesting to see and hear him lecture, and well worthwhile. I’ve always enjoyed his books, and learned a good deal from them. It turns out he was as good at lecturing as writing. His attempt at buying a Honda Accord towards the end of chunk 2 is very amusing (but not to death!). I found his analysis of the effect of technology on education and teachers that straddles chunks 3 and 4 particularly insightful, and still pertinent in the twenty-first century.

Here’s the whole thing as a playlist from the 7 chunks of the video.

Doug Groothuis (who blogs at The Constructive Curmudgeon) explained last week how is attempting to subvert Twitter by using proper grammar, eschewing abbreviations and avoiding trivia. I’m with him on that, not that either of us are recent converts to using proper grammar.  I even do that with text messages. I’m not sure either of us will succeed, but we may as well die trying.

Justin Childers recently posted a very helpful piece quoting Bryan Chapell. He listed four excellent statements to keep in mind when reading the Scriptures. I’ve written then on the inside cover of my regular reading Bible to remind me what I ought to be seeing on every page:

• Is there something here that is predictive of the work of Christ?
• Is there something here that is preparatory for the work of Christ?
• Is there something here that is reflective of the work of Christ?
• Is there something here that is resultant of the work of Christ?

This should help me keep the big picture in view as I read.

He’d stalked my room, invisible he’d skulked.
Tonight he has appeared, eight-legged he sits
High up the wall, unmoving, still as I.
Enormous legs and body huge to match.

A plot she swiftly has to hatch
for his despatch. For I am numb.
Limbs frozen, not from cool night air,
But chilling phobia, irrationally
takes hold, and grips my mind in chill embrace.
Ice-cold fingers
choke thought,
halt breath,
root legs,
lock arms.

Now past.
Relief.
Release.
Normality
restored. Swift thaw of body and of mind.
Thoughts flood the mind, and breath the lungs. Legs move
In cortège for a fear that’s passed away.
A late-night funeral for foe and fear,
Both hatched, and soon despatched. Unexpected.
So like the times it happens for a friend.