As I have delved into writing more over the past several
months I have noticed a certain, disturbing tendency in myself. Once I became
aware of it I began to notice in other writers as well. It is the propensity to
write for reaction rather than writing for effect. It is the desire to have readers react
strongly rather than to have than changed meaningfully.
It exhibits itself in both how a writer picks the subject
and how he communicates it. Am I trying to say something that matters or
something that sparks a pointed response? Am I writing it in such a way as to
spur action or feeling, or am I trying to provoke for the sake of provocation?
The Tim Tebow furor is a perfect example of the negative
aspects of this, the writing for reaction. Writers, Christian and otherwise, have spewed opinions all over the internet about Tebow and his overt faith
in Jesus. But to what end? It seems like a lot of provocation for the sake of garnering
response rather than proclamation for the sake of effect on the reader. Both
the choice of subject matter (Tebow) and the method of communication (arrogant,
pointed, judgmental, hateful, defensive, etc.) are fuel for a reaction but not necessarily
conducive to a meaningful effect.
This tendency isn’t any more prevalent in Christian writers
than others, but it is far more disturbing. I expect there to be shock jocks in
all mediums of communication and coming from all view-points. But I abhor
Christian shock-jockery. I’m not even sure that phrase “Christian shock jock”
makes sense. It so implies the pursuit of a strong reaction that it almost
necessarily excludes the desire for a life-adjusting effect, but it is the
effect, the change, that all Christian communicators should be pursuing.
This isn’t so say
beliefs and opinions can’t be expressed in pointed, even shocking ways. But
shock and reaction cannot be the aim; rather they must be the means to a
change. Jesus talked about cutting off one’s hand to resist temptation and
millstones tied to the neck of tempers to drown them. But he spoke these words that
his listeners might have life and have it to the full, not that they might have
a strong reaction and leave pointed comments on his blog.
And it should be that same intention with which all Christian
writers write; that our readers might have life and have it to the full. May
our tidbits of wisdom and perspective be aimed at an effect on our readership,
not a reaction from them.
