What Kind of Digital RU?

I've got to give it up for Marc Prensky. “Digital Native/Digital Immigrant”: it’s hard to imagine discussing 21C without this digital coding. Like so much in the digital world it’s a binary distinction—a bunch of 1s and 0s strung together constituting “information.” I've got to give it up for Marc Prensky because, since 2001, everyone and their Digital Immigrant Mother has been responding to him.

The dia-blog has “evolved” from Prensky’s inchoate bifurcation. Toledo (2007) discusses the thickness of the Immigrant’s accent and cites Feeney (n.d.) who suggested adding “Digital Recluse”, “Digital Refugee”, “Digital Explorer”, “Digital Innovator”, and “Digital Addict” to the fray. Unable to resist, Toledo offered up “Digital Tourist” and we have Stoerger (2009) to thank for “Digital Melting Pot.” Cyber-fondue anyone?

It seems to me that the disclaimer “Digital” is on the verge of becoming meaningless. The proliferation of "Digital Fill In The Blanks" reminds me the scene in The Social Network where Justin Timberlake tells Jessie Eisenberg, ‘Drop the “The”. Call it “Facebook”, it’s much cooler.’ Honestly, how long will it be before we look back, chuckle at Prensky and think, ‘Digital? That’s SO Analog!’

But for now the whole “Digital #$%#” seems to be sticking. Thing is, I don’t like my choices. So here are a few new ones off the top of my head (sticking with the Bible as inspiration for the time being):

“Digital Yahweh”: Created the whole interweb in 6 days. Status says “resting” on Shabbat.

“Digital Elohim”: Offers judgmental comments on peoples’ Facebook pages all day.

“Digital Abraham”: Posts “first” on every new YouTube video.

“Digital Sarah”: Often heard laughing obnoxiously in the computer lab.

“Digital Isaac”: Blinded from too much staring at the screen.

“Digital Rebecca”: Hours spent online increased dramatically after falling off camel.

“Digital Jacob”: Hacked into his brother’s birthright account.

“Digital Rachel”: Has a beautiful profile pic.

“Digital Leah”: Keeps her profile “veiled” from public view.

Obviously I could go on. The whole “Digital Native/Digital Immigrant” phenomenon reminds me of the power of language in constructing meaning. Here’s a quote from Richard Rorty that captures the way I feel:

The world does not speak. Only we do. The world can, once we have programmed ourselves with a language, cause us to hold beliefs. But it cannot propose a language for us to speak. Only other human beings can do that.

         So let’s talk about me. How do I see myself? Native, immigrant, deity, patriarch? I think for now the monicker that feels most apt is “Digital Dude” (or perhaps “Digital Lebowski”). Although I think Dude Digitalis is much more beast. Why? Because at this point I’m willing to sit back and see how the whole thing plays out. Technology is cool. It’s fun. It’s hip. Aside from the whole nuclear/biological/chemical warfare thing technology is relatively harmless. So for now Dude Digitalis abides. So it goes. 

Judaism is Ready for 21C

Judaism is ready for 21C.  Revolutionary times? Unstable social order? Rapid technological innovation? New forms of communication and cultural exchange? Challenges to the status quo? Uncertain and unimaginable future? Judaism has seen it all before. If there’s a faith tradition, culture, way of life, or civilization that knows how to embrace 21C it is Judaism.

While all systems crave homeostasis or stability, Judaism has never had the luxury of a prolonged period of equilibrium. The upside of galut (exile) is that we’ve learned how to be a resilient and vibrant people capable of great transformation. Anyone who knows anything about Jewish history knows that Jews have lived virtually everywhere and under every possible social condition. We’ve experienced sovereignty and subjugation, exile and dispersion. We’ve lived in the East and the West, spoken every language, mastered every craft and trade, and contributed to virtually every society in which we’ve lived. We’ve been protected, abused, driven, expelled, beholden, scorned, and scrutinized. We’ve seen kings rise and fall, nations come and go, plagues devastate continents, and World Wars ravage humanity. We’ve lost sons and daughters, welcomed strangers, and both shaped and been shaped by the worlds in which we’ve lived. In light of the wild and unpredictable narrative of the Jewish people I’m confident in declaring that there’s nothing about 21C that Judaism isn’t prepared to handle.

Judaism is ready for 21C and Jewish Education needs to lead the way. Jewish Education needs to lead the way by demonstrating that the 21C technological revolution and its accompanying social revolution present opportunities for Judaism more than they do threats. When Jews encountered Romanian music we created Klezmer. When we encountered American Democracy we created Joe Lieberman. The synthesis of Judaism and 21C can similarly be an authentic expression of two systems integrating with one another in a mutually informative way. Jewish Education, broadly understood, can facilitate the interaction by embracing a wide variety of technological tools and by experimenting with changes in the social order. While much that emerges will be of questionable value and even beyond the pale of what Judaism deems tolerable, the vast majority will fall comfortably within the longstanding tradition of Jewish innovation. The question isn’t whether Jewish Education should change, but rather how we deliberately, creatively, and proactively interact with new opportunities. As always, dedicated individuals who see themselves as the inheritors and builders of Judaism will lead the way.