Giving Integrity A Chance
I am in the mist of a IM conversation with a close brother as I write this, so please pardon the roughness of thought.
When you are involved in some area of authority, whether that is writing gadget or music reviews, preaching, governments, etc. there is this matter of integrity that sometimes consumes the bulk of how you do what you do. For example, as a mobile device reviewer/analyst for Brighthand, I am constantly checking to ensure that I am speaking honestly about a trend or product in such a way that doesn't cast (too much of a) biased light to it. If you will, to talk about it is good, but to make it an idol isn't.
But what happens when by the very nature of speaking about an item that people who are simply observers of your craft become those who want it. If you will, people who also want the latest and greatest thing but they aren't reviewers, they don't have access to those things that you do yet they see it and want it too - mainly because you said its something worth getting.
I won't speak for others, because integrity on this wise is a very touchy thing. I will say this - we must do everything that we can to keep people walking honestly so that they don't compromise the faith for something temporal.
And that's hard. We can do reviews, have partners, give the ability to listen to music via podcasts, and all kinds of things. But that still means at the end of the day that we have to present these items in such a way that gives those who are our audience a chance to exercise integrity while getting the benefit of seeing that there is something new and possibly worthwhile out there.
Until my friend and I started talking, I took this as a smaller, almost internal issue. I realize now - getting to the end of this post - that its probably bigger than anything I've written here in a while. Looking back even, MMM hasn't done things like device reviews or even talked about new devices except in smaller bulk articles unless there was something specific about using the tech that was demonstrated. Its almost as if I'm learning this lesson and didn't even know that it was something that was so important to grasp.
This is probably something that's worth talking about in earnest. And it takes a significant level of boldness on my part to admit this - but sometimes I think MMM contributes to covetousness under the guise of "what can we do for God with our tools." And that's the dangerous thing. Because we should be giving all of our talents and abilities to God as a part of our daily worship. But in such a time as this, devoting even a music review to God can be taken as "I wish I had that album" and can make another's walk harder than it needs to be. Should I be a part of pushing that; or just pull completly back from this and just allow people to find mobile-anything for themselves?
For myself and others, we definitely need to give integrity a chance not only for ourselves, but for those who are eating from our trees.
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posted by MMM @ 8/22/2008 10:00:00 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I've been bringing this up with several people from different walks of life since posting this and the surprising note is that many have not thought of integrity in this manner. I guess that I am not that far off in saying that looking at integrity from this perspective is just not something easily done.
That being said, its been interesting to see all of the opinoins of people who have been responding, or at least willing to respond to me on this question. Its defintely something that we don't get just yet. I think as the Interent becomes more of a place where we are begged to be content producers, not just consumers, that it is something we need to think about more often.
The hard thing that I have now in some groups is bringing this up, and then giving some direction towards the conversation in light of cultural norms. Its not normal to think of accountability as part of technology use. Its just not normal...
MMM, thanks much for linking to my article. God bless!
Josh
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