Carter Wins Rampage Student Contributions Contest

Editor’s Note: The following is an opinion/commentary piece submitted by Bluefield University student Blake Carter, winner of the spring 2025 Rampage student contributions contest. In addition to being published in the Rampage, Carter received a $30 restaurant gift card.

The Battle to Mature in an Age of Indulgence and Distractions

Preface

I have been guilty of everything I levy criticism toward in this article. Much of it I still fight with. I have thus made it a point to mainly speak in the first person when criticizing behavior. This is a reflection I’ve made on my experience and what realizations have pushed me to change internally. There is not much I am sure of, but I am certain that I am not the only one in our generation who deals with these issues. I use “we,” “our,” and “us” not to rope everyone else in with me, but to invite the reader to reflect. I pray that others who have felt confused and lost in this digital age may find clarity in what I have written.

Technology, Self-Serving Tendencies, and Inevitable Consequences

We live at a point in human history where information is the easiest to access it has ever been. Every thought that pops into our minds can be Googled, and entire dictionaries of knowledge about that topic will appear immediately. The vast majority people in our country now have constant access to at least 1 device that contains the sum of human knowledge and wisdom. Surely this has brought us into a new age of enlightenment and wisdom, right?

Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case. It is because we have sinful tendencies and are often enticed by what feels best. When we seek out what feels best to put into our brains, not only have entire apps been built with algorithms designed to give that to us, but we are often prideful enough to feel smarter and more informed for doing so. If we form any beliefs during this process, they are not based on any kind of rational thought but are determined by one or both of these things: A) what grabbed our attention or B) what stimulated emotions. Put differently, short form content is made to grab our attention and give us feelings about things, which affects our perception of what is true, regardless of whether or not any kind of concrete information was present. The more extreme of an emotion we can be made to feel by something, the more space that thing will occupy in our minds. Since most of our generation got a smartphone before we graduated high school this process is normalized and harder to spot and explain.

To illustrate the next point I want you, the reader, to reflect on the last time you were on a short form content app. It could have been Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or something else you like. What were you thinking when you made the decision to move on to the next Reel, Short, TikTok, or post? Was it a negative feeling toward the content you swiped away from (boredom, disgust, anxiety)? Was it a feeling of anticipation for what the algorithm might give you next? Now think about what made you get off the app. Was it time for class? Was there a responsibility you had to tend to? Were you too tired to keep watching? Did you suddenly realize it was 30 minutes until midnight, and a homework assignment was about to be overdue?

Your answers may have varied from my questions but notice, in general, how the motivations for staying on the apps are more impulsive feelings and the motivations for getting off the apps are more moral or rational reasons. This part of our nature is highlighted in scripture. Romans 8:7-8 says, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”  Short form content sets our minds in the flesh. When we are set in the flesh, morality and rationality are no longer a consideration. Once the content has set our minds and we become hooked, we are no longer thinking about whether we are supposed to be consuming it but become obedient to a subconscious craving for its novelty. Because of this, algorithms can and will gradually desensitize us to sin. If we are not careful, our very thoughts and language will become polluted, and our demeanor and outlook on life may change for the worse.

Here is an analogy: Short-form digital media is like junk food. It can satisfy in the short-term and maybe even some indulgence can be harmless, but long-term overconsumption slowly rewires the brain in the way that junk food eventually changes the composition of the body. Poor diet will make the body capable of less in the long-term; poor media consumption habits will make the brain capable of less in the long-term. The body and mind are both products of what has been put into them. They both often develop short-term cravings that, if indulged regularly, are counter-productive to their long-term function.

Media consumption can also give us a sense of connection to other people without actually enduring the discomfort that comes along interacting with anyone. It also has a tendency to make us interested in learning trivial information that has no application in our lives, making us feel as if we have done something productive when we have not. The combination of these two things means that, when developing the habit of consuming media alone, it is very easy to for us to drift away from potential friends and goals, which undermines our sense of purpose.

Lastly, the internet is chock-full of other people who are willing to indulge your sinful nature and the sins you struggle with the most. It is easier for us to fool ourselves if others are helping out. There are countless talented influencers of all kinds on the internet that dedicate an impressive amount of effort into (implicitly or explicitly) asserting, indulging, and rationalizing their own flaws and the flaws of others. Perhaps their intentions are not malicious, but nonetheless the blind will lead the blind into a pit. The algorithms may suggest these people to us more often because that may be what keeps us online. Keep in mind, we are in an impressionable state when we watch short form content. It puts us in an endless loop because it gets our minds stuck thinking in the short-term. This all makes it harder to self-reflect and think about one concept for a long time, two things that are crucial for personal growth.

What to Do

If you understand the issue at hand but are uncertain of what actions to take to resolve it and improve your life, this section may be what you are looking for. The answer to all of this is not to simply abstain from social media and short-form content. This is only partially an issue of the devices; it is mostly the fault of our sinful nature that keeps us in these devices. The human mind can be insatiable, and it often wants something to latch onto. Instead of attempting to get rid of the desire to retreat into the internet, we must show our minds that there are other interesting things to do, even if they aren’t immediately easy or obvious. New habits or hobbies need to form in place of what many of us have now. These things should develop skills that benefit you in the long-term. Here are a few suggestions:

Journaling
Sit in a quiet room away from all devices with a pencil and paper and write down whatever comes to mind. Chances are, at least one of the sentences you end up writing will be interesting. Question yourself on why it is interesting and what made you write those words. Write down the answers you come up with. If there is something interesting in your answer, repeat the process. The more you repeat the process, the more you learn about yourself. If you recognize the need for something new in your life and don’t know exactly what, then start here.

Reading
If you are not used to reading a lot, I recommend the book of James. It is only around 5 pages, and it is full of ideas to ruminate on. You should be reading things that provoke you to sit and think for a while. Don’t let it become escapism; what you read and the thoughts you think from it should have some practical application. If this article made you consider something you hadn’t thought of before, read it again, and reflect on how it relates to your experience.

Prayer
Your prayer is strengthened with practice like all other skills. Pray for those who you interacted with throughout the day. Scroll down in your recent messages and pray for someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Pray about something that burdens you or something that brings you joy. Nothing is excluded from the subject of prayer as long as the heart is in it. It often forces you to think outside of yourself and your own desire.

Go to an event on campus and interact with people.
Be generous in striking up conversation. Know enough about yourself to tell others about yourself. Be humble in not only your words but your thoughts. Your thoughts can inhibit your ability to make connections to others, even if everything seems to go well on the outside. God will show you the warmth of fellowship if you have the courage to be a part of it.  

Any kind of exercise
This may be redundant to our athletic readers, but for our non-athlete readers, exercise can be very rewarding. It doesn’t have to be intense, long, or tiresome. It could be a 30-minute walk with some friends. You could go to the Sims Center and do a few sets of walking lunges with light dumbbells. It could be anything. Whatever it is, it should be at least a little uncomfortable. This has obvious physical benefits but think beyond that. There is a reason that schoolchildren are given a recess period. There is often pent-up energy that needs to be released for you to be open to learning new things. Additionally, exercise is a great way to stop your mind from dwelling on things that have already come to pass.     

These are all things that get easier the more you do them. That initial stage of discomfort is hard, but if you do any of these things regularly for more than a week, do not be surprised if you want to keep doing them. They all develop things that are good for your long-term quality of life. It is impossible to work on one of the skills listed above and become worse off for having done so. But do not take my word for it. See for yourself.