Twitter: "Connection without Expectation" ://church

I heard a fascinating interview a few days ago on CBC radio.  The guest was relating some comments from the founder(s) of Twitter.  For those not in the 140 character loop, let's just say that if you are reading this you are only a click away from discovering what it is.  The interviewee related a story about the early days of the Twitter concept.  Why did these entrepreneurs think their idea would fly?  The answer was simple:  people today are looking for "connection without expectation".  This is exactly what Twitter (and in some ways its big brother Facebook) can provide in endless measure.  In a form of Newspeak, "friend" can mean either your lifelong companion or someone to give you an energy boost in Mafia Wars, or help raise your vegetables in Farmville, or simply someone who signed onto some cause you promoted, without the slightest intention of actually participating.

This idea of "connection without expectation" is one of the problems of the contemporary church.  From a marketing point of view it is a great guiding principle for our outreach and evangelism and whatever else you want to throw in the pot.  Seen from the vantage point of creating real Christian community, however, it is problematic.  We always run the risk of becoming (or remaining - take your pick) aloof, independent and alone.  "Connection" finds its illusory power in some vague sense of the word, without the expectation that connection with another human being in community involves care, love, friendship.  

It is interesting that one of the readings for this coming Sunday in church is from the Genesis story of the creation of man/woman.  It is the story of the first human community.

Adam.  Eve.

God.

Add as Friend.

Comments

[scott]

Relationship really is predicated on sacrifice.
What is the pinnacle of relationship? Greater love hath no man...

Seth Godin puts this really nicely (in a business context).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0h0LlCu8Ks&feature=player_embedded

or you can take it from the mouth of a Catholic Archbishop.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8180115.stm

From a mercenary perspective, the great thing about people is that they keep being born; they keep dying. New ones come along, and that means that an otherwise self-destructive business of giving people what they want is sustainable - not for any given person, but over the population. The twitter boys have had remarkable success.

That being said, a shallow medium isn't really good or bad, it's just shallow.

I only wish we didn't break our necks when trying to dive deep into a shallow pool.

[Leslie]

I go back and forth with the shallowness of Twitter and Facebook.

I feel like everyone is deeply exhausted, physically. In general, we ignore the Sabbath and have made overscheduling a cultural practice and we're rung out. It has to contribute to the wish for connection without expectation.

So then sometimes I think the fact that anyone wants to remain connected at all is a hopeful sign.