Cocoons of partisan information often leave us isolated from dissenting voices. But sometimes they enable us to privilege the relationships that matter the most. These are the two sides of information overload. Blessing and Curse. After the Fall, part of our experience is the reminder in creation of how things are “supposed to be” and also remind us that things are “not the way its supposed to be”. The ease of access to information is a terrific blessings. At our finger tips is a wealth of information about which former generations could not even dream. A terrific blessing. But the accompanying curse is that this information is too much for us to handle with care

 

On the one hand the sheer volume of information available to us today can impose arbitrary limits on the checks and balances to our own prejudices. In this instance we pay attention to information sources which we already suspect confirm our preconceived notions. We do not avail ourselves of evidence to the contrary. On the other hand the vast volume of information available to us can force us to prioritize our sources of information as well. This act of prioritizing serves as a filter to protect the loyalties that are important to us.

 

The curse on our cultural house is that information is in great supply and wisdom is in short supply. The blessing on our ecclesial houses is that wisdom does not begin with information but teaches us how to deal with information. Wisdom begins in relationships of trust. Knowing those to whom we belong, aids us in privileging the information sources which undergird those relationships that matter. And since we do not belong to ourselves, it will aid us in facing seriously those sources of information that confront our own corruptions.