tech
The Eighth Deadly Sin
Sometimes, staring brainlessly into my laptop in the trough of a weekday afternoon, experiencing myself as a kind of online shadow, a thing of fidgets, a half-being hollowed out by roaming spectral appetites—for destruction, for gratification, for the email that never comes—it occurs to me to ask: Now, which of the seven deadly sins is this ?
TL;DR
- The author reflects on whether modern online behavior, characterized by aimless digital consumption, constitutes an 'eighth deadly sin'.
- The article references Peter Jones's book, 'Self-Help From the Middle Ages,' which explores the historical seven deadly sins as a guide for contemporary living.
- Historically, the seven deadly sins evolved from an earlier list of eight 'generic thoughts' identified by Evagrius Ponticus.
- Pope Gregory the Great consolidated these into the seven commonly known sins, which were later personified in medieval art.
- The article argues that modern manifestations of sins like envy are relatable, citing social media as a breeding ground for 'bitter witnesses'.
- Jones's book uses personal anecdotes to illustrate the quotidian nature of these sins, suggesting they can be recognized and countered by their opposing virtues.
- Sin is described as subtle, seductive, addictive, rigid, and controlling, akin to being a puppet.
- The author concludes that overcoming the digital 'sin' of excessive online presence may require a medieval approach of prayer.