Friday, November 24, 2006

"Deliver Me From My Enemies"

john walker | 10:01 AM |
NPH's daily reading of the Psalms has yielded this phrase more than once this week. "Deliver me from my enemies." Strangely, for the first time in his life, NPH feels like he has enemies, only they're not the things that a technological age thinks are enemies. Because they are the technology. Or they are a person's use of the technology. Or they are a technology's use of a person.
Computers, television, video games, mp3's: NPH is only starting to see the ways in which these devices conspire to claim valuable chunks of his time and attention and to deny him the fulfillment and the rest that they promise. For example, NPH three days ago finally dove headlong into the bittorrent phenomenon, and he has since acquired innumerable records he has long desired to have. To what result? Fulfillment? Enjoyment, even? Not really. Instead he is fatigued and finds his thoughts increasing drifting towards other things to look for, to discover, to acquire.
To be delivered from these enemies is the only thing that will save. NPH cannot manage them, cannot avoid being given completely over to them for a time. Alas, NPH cannot, it seems, avoid worshiping them by offering to them the most valuable chunks of time and attention he has to give.
They have crept into NPH's life with a whisper about "leisure" and "recreation"--"education" even--and they have established strongholds in my everyday routine. They are occupiers. They are enemies.
Deliver me from my enemies.

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