Self-centeredness is not new. We see it as the reason for the Fall in the Garden, and it has been the root of all sin ever since. Is the new generation emerging into adulthood more self-centered than previous ones? It may be fashionable to say so, but perhaps modern selfishness is just exhibiting itself in different ways; the heart of man never changes without redemption through Christ.
Our technological advancements showcase our selfishness more. Whereas in the past it was unseemly to appear too self-centered, now we practically celebrate it:
All too often, even though we connect with the world more than before, we do so from a safe distance, offering false aid to those in need:
We comfort our conscience by the fact that we have “done” something, even if that something is wholly ineffective. I noted in a previous post how silly it is to think that terrorists who have kidnapped young girls will cower in fear because someone—even at the highest level of government—shows a sign with a hashtag on it. That accomplishes nothing.
Then there are those who are simply reactionaries; they have their own ways of dealing with the new age:
I don’t resist new things; I just want them to be used in a way that furthers God’s truth. Some railed against movies and television when they first appeared. That’s pointless. Technology will continue to enter new spheres. We shouldn’t avoid it, but we need to be very careful not to be ruled by it. The computer age can allow man to go deeper into sin than ever, but it also holds the promise of spreading the Kingdom of God in ways never before imagined. Technology is not the problem; the self-centeredness (i.e., sinfulness) of man is. No matter how far technology advances, man’s sin problem remains.