Book Review: Digitized: Spiritual Implications of Technology

Digitized: Spiritual Implications of Technology, by Bernard Bull, Concordia Publishing House, 2018

How often do you think about technology?  Chances are, you think about it quite often in our day and age.  Technology is an intricate part of our lives these days.  Every day, new technologies and new media are coming forth at a dizzying pace.  As we adopt technology into our lives, we seem to rarely consider how we are being shaped by it.

In Digitized, Bernard Bull challenges the reader to give consideration to the technology and media that are part of their lives.  Bull isn't against technology by any means.  In fact, in service to the salvation Jesus purchased for us on the cross and the resurrection, technology and media can be a tremendous asset.  Yet, just as there are great possibilities, there are also great challenges.  Technology and media can begin to consume our lives and, in doing so, can actually creep toward becoming idols.

Bull presents a number of thoughts that are worth considering, and I will likely touch on some of these in future posts.  One thing he asserts is that every technology is not neutral, but has its bias.  That is, every technology is created to perform a function and in performing that function, it means that it is not suitable for other functions.  For example, a hammer is a technology created to hit things.  Its bias is toward hitting things.  It doesn't do very well as a back scratcher or to dust your house.  We can see the same thing with other technology.  It has its biases, and how we utilize it according to its purpose means that we are being shaped by it.

Bull also presents another thought that we may not always consider.  Every technology has its affordances.  That is, particular technologies bring to light things that are beneficial.  However, there are also limitations that technology brings.  We typically focus mostly on the affordances, but spend less time on the limitations.  If you spend, for example, time on Facebook connecting with other people, that is an affordance.  However, you might also consider that it limits the time you are spending with your family, or doing another task around your house that may need to be done.  Giving thought to the limitations might help bring the use of technology into a greater perspective.

While Bull gives the reader many different points to consider when it comes to technology use (and these are vastly needed in our day and age), the main thing that he urges the reader to do is to approach all technology with the Scriptures open in front of them.  Technology is not neutral.  Therefore, as Christians, we need to be examining technology and our use of it with God's Word being a constant that we consult.  It's not just merely about the content of the technology, but even the technology itself, and especially our use of technology.  Having the reminder that we are redeemed children of God through the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection helps us as Christians to focus our use of technology in ways that serve God and our neighbor, and even provides a forum for us to ask for forgiveness when we find technology assuming too large a role in our lives.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who regularly uses technology (that means you).  You'll find yourself challenged by it, but in a very good way.

Book Review: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever

Book: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever, by Michael Bungay Stanier

In this book, Michael Bungay Stanier would have leaders consider how they can work to equip the people they work with more, and in doing so, to end up taking away many of the tasks that they end up doing for others anyway.  His proposed solution to this situation is to ask questions, seven specific questions in fact.  These questions get to the heart of what a leader needs to learn from workers and provides an avenue for having the worker then arrive at possible solutions, thus freeing the leader from doing the work that rightfully belongs to others.

Stanier's questions are not profound questions, and in fact, are likely questions that many leaders are already thinking.  However, the manner which Stanier proposes for the leader to follow involves a more coaching approach to employees.  It also involves changing the (likely) ingrained habits that leaders have of providing advice or solutions, changing instead to a more questioning approach that leads workers to discover what is truly challenging them and then to discover solutions on their own.

These seven questions, as I said, are not profound, but it takes the development of a new habit and approach to incorporate them.  To assist in doing this, Stanier provides an area at the end of each chapter where the reader can write out the triggers that lead to their current habits, what their old habit is, and then the new habit that is proposed (which consists of asking each of the seven questions he provides, and sorry, I'm not listing them out.  If you want to learn them, you will need to read the book!). By taking this approach, the leader slows down his usual approach, engages the worker, enables the worker to discover solutions on their own, and thus empowers workers.

I found this book easy to read and, while the questions are not profound, the development of a new habit toward asking questions definitely would prove challenging to myself and many others.  I agree with his assertion that taking the time to reflect on what is learned is vitally important for both leaders and workers, and the approach he recommends calls for such reflection.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has to work with people and who may be frustrated when the workers consistently approach you with questions on what to do.  Initially, I believe it would involve more time, but over time, it would likely prove to be an approach that would grow the workplace and create an environment where creativity and productivity would follow, not to mention workers who feel empowered and thus are more invested in their work, which is a benefit to the leader and the organization.