Karen Schomaker- The Pope Goes Digital

The other day, while on facebook, I was caught a discussion in one of my groups. Someone had posted a news link (provided below) about how the Pope has decided to go digital in order to "better connect with youth". Apparently, for World Youth Day in July the Pope plans to send out text messages to thousands of young catholics in Australia.

While this is amusing, I'm also confused. First- how is the Pope supposed to get all these mobile numbers so that he can send them? How is he going to find a phone that will store all of the numbers (I think my phone will only hold a couple hundred, which is way more than I need)? When is he going to find the time to sit down and send these texts? Are they going to be personalized- or a random mass message? Is it really going to be from the Pope? Who is going to show the man how to use the phone? Can those getting the text then save the Pope's number and call him back later for a personal chat? And finally- How the heck can I get on that list? I want a text from the Pope!

This also raises the question of how is it that youth have allowed themselves to become so disconnected with the non-technological world that the Pope has to resort to text messaging in order to reach them? This bothers me on multiple levels, but mainly on the idea that today's youth- myself included- have become to heavily dependent on our technology that we fail to be able to see what is important beyond what we can find on our computers, ipods, and cell phones. Even more so- we try to enforce this idea and dependence onto our elders. When our parents struggle to learn how to use the cell phones beyond the basics of making a phone call, or do not understand how to do more with a computer than turn it on and check email, we laugh at their incapabilities. But what does this say about us? Have we become so disenfranchised with the real world and the ideals we were raised on that we have forced ourselves to turn to technology to be our guide, as opposed to God? What does our example, as the generation between those who do not depend on technology and those who have not known a world without it, say to today's young generation- those who look up to us as an example of what to expect, and what is appropriate?

Should the Pope really have to resort to mass text messaging in order to reach today's youth, or should the youth realize that there is more to life than the machine in their pocket, and turn to our elders to seek information?



http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSSYD19071020080507?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews