I have a bit of an addiction to information. I don't think this applies to all areas of life, though. I'm not one to constantly track a package or flight. There are times when I can recognize that the outcome is in God's hands and I've done all I can.
But...
The other times. I love knowing random bits of information. Before Internet, I liked playing Trivial Pursuit. Somehow I knew facts, even sports-related. Is that any different from wondering "now what was that actor's name?" and immediately looking up the Wikipedia entry?
Where do you draw the line? I think for me, the medical stuff is probably the worst. Are you in that category of person, always self-diagnosing yourself and convinced you're going to die? I have turned into one of those.
Googling has led me to correct diagnoses on at least a few occasions. And especially when receiving healthcare in a foreign language, I often need to clarify some medical information. For example, I look up all the pills that have been prescribed. Unfortunately, the research can lead to reading about worse-case scenarios. It also means that I don't trust the professionals.
I'm good at digging up information. Even when the Internet was new, I could get answers pretty quickly. I know how to navigate. If it weren't for "why do I still look pregnant at x months postpartum," I wouldn't have known that I had an extremely weak core/diastasis recti that needed to be dealt with.
It's always a balancing act. Do I need to google diaper-related questions? Maybe not. Is it helpful to know others have the same questions? Absolutely. Is it helpful at 2 am? Maybe not.
Lately, though..I was praying for the right connections. But I still couldn't leave it alone. Is this doctor the answer to my prayer, or should I keep knocking on doors? And so on. If I prayed about it already, am I done? And then it can almost border on astrology, constantly looking for signs.
And the other element is the relationships. There are quite a few online forums that I've found to be edifying, However, another part of faith is trusting for those connections with real-life people. I don't want to give up on that.
I also am a worrier. But, knowing that "information" only makes it worse when it comes to really serious things, I stay clear of that online most of the time. Except checking our prescribed medication; I do do that. Cooking information, though is always helpful! Sewing. How to fix... When do you need a new roof? (Now, unfortunately.) And I have become kind of overly reliant on the internet for Scripture insights.... Monnie wondered why I always have my phone when I have my Bible. Good point.
ReplyDeleteI feel a little that way about a GPS, too. I actually don't drive, so I shouldn't judge. But it seems to me people used to know street names and kind of "study up" before going somewhere. Now it's just enter it into the GPS and go. This particularly annoys me when it's a taxi driver who doesn't know the city! But helpful for rerouting, perhaps.
Delete