Faith | Attention hijacked? Take a look at this ‘clickbait’ instead

I did it again!

Clicked on a link that aroused my curiosity and spent several minutes reading about archaeology in the Orkney Islands. Interesting subject, probably true information and I didn’t buy anything.

But what did I go onto the internet to do?

I forgot. Again.

The internet is full of “clickbait” in many forms and disguises, deliberately designed to hijack our attention by piquing our curiosity, creating false urgencies, making extreme (and often ridiculous) promises, or triggering anger, fear, outrage.

Clickbait can cost us money, but the most important cost is our attention.

Our attention span is up for sale and millions of dollars are poured into getting us to make that click. Fortunes are being made selling our ability to be distracted.

The object of much of this is to expose us to advertising and lure us into buying stuff. And much is directed at influencing us with dubious information, and fear or anger-producing rants.

Time on this earth is a precious gift from God and I believe we are accountable for how we use God’s gifts. Cluttering my mind while wasting my time is not following anything I’ve learned about God’s purposes and ways.

This is not a new situation.

The Scriptures of my faith tradition, the Hebrew and Christian writings that comprise the Bible, show the struggle for our attention. Over and over there are these words and phrases: Listen, behold, hear, do you not see what is happening around you?

The term clickbait is largely negative in our modern usage, but God has been using a positive version for thousands of years. Our attention is grabbed by beauty in myriad forms: stunning sunrises and sunsets, beautiful flowers, intriguing animals (the platypus!), the faces of children.

And God places before us other things that ask for our attention: people who are hungry, homeless, needing care, and the planet we dwell on where we have the care of earth and water and air.

I can say to the temptations of the internet, “I’m not for sale!” but breaking the clicking habit is not that easy. My curiosity is a gift from God, to put to constructive use what doesn’t make money for some shadowy person or corporation who is expert at leading me into temptation.

The spiritual practice recommended by attention experts is simply to stop. Put life on pause for just a little while. Sit still.

This advice often comes from monks and nuns who have dedicated their lives to paying attention to God. I do have some suspicion of spiritual practices recommended by people who aren’t raising kids while looking after parents and working at two jobs.

When I see the advice that we should sit in silence for 20 minutes twice a day, I wonder what planet they live on!

One Benedictine brother who is very busy with ministry among young adults makes a sensible suggestion. Strive for 5 minutes. Start with one minute if that’s all you can do.

Regardless of circumstances, it’s a practice that has been around for a few thousand years. Be still. “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.

Breaking the addiction to distracting clickbait opens us to what God is offering for our attention: beauty to enjoy, needs to serve, God’s love for each of us, and the joy of this cosmic and eternal relationship.

The Rev. Jan Griffin is a retired priest in the Episcopal Church, serving as a board and committee volunteer in her diocese and affordable housing facilities. Questions and comments should be directed to editor Lucy Luginbill in care of the Tri-City Herald newsroom, 4253 W. 24th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99336. Or email lluginbill@tricityherald.com.