Alliance for Catholic Education
A computer engineer major in my dorm was having a really hard time, with what so many young people are struggling with these days: a lack of a sense of purpose or meaning, loneliness, social isolation, restlessness, anxiety.
But before I could even ask, he said, “But I know what the problem is.” “What?” I asked. “The algorithm,” he said. “The thing ‘out there’ that keeps track of all your clicks, and websites and stuff, and then spits backs ads and articles and websites and news-feeds that would appeal to you. And over time, I’m realizing the algorithm is telling me who I am…. But the problem is: the algorithm isn’t a person; it’s just an equation. And it’s forming who I am.”
One of the Old Testament prophets’ favorite themes was railing against Israel’s turn to idols. What if, when we hear the word idol, keeping our young people in mind, we hear: anything that’s just a human creation, but we give to it some transcendent control over our lives. Some ability to tell us what’s meaningful, what’s valuable, or maybe what’s worse of all, to tell us who we are. Like the algorithm. What happens then?
Psalm 115 begins: “Their idols are made of silver and gold; the mere work of humans.” Now, listen to these next lines, and think about the loneliness so many of our young people are experiencing: “These idols have mouths, but speak not. They have eyes but see not. They have ears but hear not.” The psalmist is identifying the heart of the problem facing young people today: allowing ourselves to be formed by something that is ultimately dehumanizing.
And when we allow ourselves to be formed by something that is less than human, we are dehumanized… which gets manifested in symptoms like: listlessness, anxiety, depression, failure to find meaning in life.
A key question for us becomes: what does a faith-based education have to offer that responds effectively to the symptoms our students are manifesting in these days? Basile Moreau’s opening line to Christian Education is: “Christian education is the art of leading the young to wholeness, in the image of Jesus Christ.” Instead of being formed by the algorithm, or whatever other dehumanizing forces are at work, we can place before ourselves, and before our students, the goal of striving towards a human being – God-made-human – Jesus Christ.
In Catholic schools – while taking full advantage of the benefits that technology offers – we can offer the pearl of great price, the healing remedy for our students – the education of the mind and the heart – as we offer a path to human wholeness. For we have the person about whom the Gospels tell the following story: A young person was searching for life’s meaning, and approached Jesus and asked: “Which is the greatest of all the commandments?” “What’s the deep meaning of my life?” “And Jesus looking at him, loved him, and said…”
For a moment, forget the content of what Jesus said to him. Just stay with: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him….” Juxtapose that with Psalm 115: “They have eyes but cannot see you; they have mouths but cannot speak to you; they cannot love you.” “Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said… come, follow me.”
Why should we let anyone or anything tell our next generation who they are, except the one who created them, and is coming to us as a human being this Christmas?
Fr. Lou DelFra, C.S.C
ACE Director of Pastoral Life