In a time when smartphones are rarely more than a hand-reach away, more people are considering a 40-day break from social media as a deeper Lenten sacrifice.
Social Media
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
The dystopian Superbowl ad for the metaverse raises serious metaphysical questions.
Virtual reality is taking off, and it is more than a game: The metaverse promises relief from human pain and longing. But can it become just another addiction?
Posted inFaith, GoodNews
Cooks with Collars: Priest cooking competition has raised $110,000 for Catholic Charities
When priests hang up their clerical robes, grab their aprons and head for their kitchens, what’s cooking? The answer can be found online at www.CooksWithCollars.com
Posted inArts & Culture, Ideas
The spirituality of ‘cringe’
Last week, after over 50 years of this experience, I was finally given a word that captures what I feel when I see any of the many Laughing Jesus paintings: Cringe.
Posted inArts & Culture, Ideas
Wordle is taking over our social media feeds. But it’s more than just a game—it’s a gift.
The New York Times said that “Wordle is a love story.” In a way, isn’t every online bit and bob that we delight in a love story?
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Lessons from Father Charles Coughlin: America’s first mass-media demagogue priest
A charismatic demagogue with millions of devoted followers. New media with little government regulation. The threat of violence in the streets. No, we’re not talking about the 45th president.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Short Take
The meek will inherit the kingdom. The angry will inherit Facebook’s ‘metaverse.’
Facebook is in the business of amplifying anger, something admitted in its own internal documents. Instead of fixing the problem, it wants to add virtual reality to our worst forms of argument.
Posted inEditorials, Politics & Society
Facebook is threatening the common good
Facebook’s business model, built on monetizing human attention while outsourcing human judgment to algorithms, is a uniquely comprehensive and dangerous abdication of responsibility.
Posted inOf Many Things, Politics & Society
Our founding fathers warned us about QAnon
This is a 21st-century problem, but we were first warned about it in the 18th century. Our founding fathers called what we are experiencing today factionalism.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Podcast: Pope Francis hasn’t always been so media friendly. What’s changed?
On this week’s episode, Gerry and host Colleen Dulle take a look at how the pope’s relationship with the media has changed over time and examine the vision of the media that Pope Francis laid out in his speech to Vatican journalists this weekend.