Mindless Consumption, Interruption, and Indwelling Sin

One way I can justify scrolling or mindless consumption of news via social media or simply social media in general is believing I do not have the time for more intensive or focused activities like reading or writing. It’s easy to pick up my phone and read tweets or reddit posts or watch short videos and justify this consumption due to a perceived lack of time for more meaningful or intensive activities. It’s also easy to fill any and all “down” time, little moments of boredom (what I think of as nothingness) with mindless consumption. Mindless activities are alluring. They are easy to pick up, somewhat easy to put down, and very easy to pick back up again.

Due to this ease, mindless consumption is always more tempting and attractive than picking up a book or writing or journalling due to the possibility of interruption. Interruptions are much less jarring while consuming mindlessly in comparison to interruptions during more intellectually stimulating or mindfully intensive activities. In this sense, interruptions are somewhat of a double-edged sword: the possibility of interruption can keep me from pursuing high-quality, deep work opportunities, but they can also be what derail these opportunities. Interruption can serve not only as the potential obstacle but the easy off ramp from mindful, intentional, and even deep work moments.

I just recently finished the Gospel of Luke. In chapter 22, Jesus, with his disciples, goes to the Mount of Olives to pray before he is arrested. And, not surprisingly, Jesus encourages his disciples to do the same: “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” The disciples fail to take seriously Jesus’ command and fall asleep. The constant and continual access to my phone and certain apps and websites are gates which I stroll through (haphazardly at times), either from a perceived lack of time (fearing the possibility of interruption) or a moment of child-like distraction from an interruption, thus in a sense entering into the temptation of mindless consumption. I will in one moment pray the Lord’s prayer, “And lead us not into temptation,” and yet in another too easily and too willingly give into slothfulness, much like the disciples. It is really so simple and frictionless to fall into a slothful psychosis.

John Owen, however, provides the jolt needed to reframing the snare of sloth, the allure of distraction and mindless consumption, by writing of the power of indwelling sin and the necessary attitude and posture towards it we must possess. He says,

If sin be subtle, watchful, strong, and always at work in the business of killing our souls, and we be slothful, negligent, foolish, in proceeding to the ruin thereof, can we expect a comfortable event? There is not a day but sin foils or is foiled, prevails or is prevailed on; and it will be so while we live in this world.

Sin either wins or loses. It prevails or is thwarted. What a powerful and sobering way to look at every moment. Interruptions are a part of life. The battle against indwelling sin is one seemingly constant part of living in this world. This quote has hit me hard. And I hope to think about it and write on it more in the coming months. But for now, what are possible solutions? What should be my response? How do I create friction to make falling into temptation more difficult? What are ways I can be active in my fight against the indwelling sin of slothfulness and distraction if (and when) an interruption occurs?

• Furiously schedule my days and allot more focused time for reading and writing?
• Eliminate mindless consumption altogether through the radical amputation of screens and technology?
• Accept the possibility of interruption and read and write anyway during the small moments of down time that I do in fact have?
• Spend more time in these down moments embracing the nothingness and allow my mind to think and wander?
• Have access to an analog output (notebook) at all times as a way to jot down thoughts and ideas to be able to expound about them later?

Yes. More to come.