Are you willing to take “The Postman Pledge”?

Screen time. Do you keep going back for more? If we’re honest, the answer is yes.  Our addictive technologies and various platforms have most of us hooked.  

Two years ago, Jenny and I decided to pull the plug on our TV subscription. The service was fine, but we mutually decided we could do without the drumbeat of negativity on Fox, CNN , and MSNBC. Please don’t see this as a virtue signal, we weren’t giving up Netflix or HBO. Just TV. When I told the representative we wanted to cancel, fees notwithstanding, he said everything he could to persuade me to change my mind. Finally, he pulled out the “I’m worried about you” card. How would we stay alert to what was going on locally and in the world? How would we stay “connected” without TV? I told him, “Trust me, we’re connected plenty.” 

So, what is the Postman Pledge, and should I consider it for me and my family? Neil Postman, a New York University professor, was one of my favorite authors. Amusing Ourselves to Death and the End of Education are two of my favorite titles. “End” meaning the “point or purpose of.” I wrote about the concept where I applied it to home schooling here- End of Homeschooling Part 1 and here – End of Homeschooling Part 2. Following these books, he wrote another book titled Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. Unbelievably prophetic as it was written over 30 years ago.

Fast forward to today. A group of parents in Hyattsville, Maryland got together. Basically, they acknowledged that technology had gotten out of their control in their and their children’s lives. Inspired by Dr. Postman’s work, they wrote and committed to what they called, The Postman Pledge.

Here’s what they wrote:   

As Christian parents, we recognize that everything God created is good and that we have the great privilege of teaching our children to know, love, and serve Him in the good world He created. We also recognize that technological developments in the culture undermine our capacity to inhabit the world and engage in social life as richly or fully as we ought. Therefore, we pledge for the next year not to allow our children to have smartphones or use social media. We also pledge to conscientiously limit our family’s use of electronic technologies in general and to cultivate the habits of attention and presence that allow us to grow in love of one another and of God. Knowing that we were created for deep bonds of community, we pledge, finally, to foster friendships among our families in the natural, traditional ways human cultures have always done.

Is The Pledge for you? If you think so, what better time to start than at the beginning of the school year. I just offer it to you to consider. Perhaps commit to it with another family or too. I’ll bet you’ll see some positive changes.

Thanks for reading!

Curt Bumcrot,  MRE

You can still schedule private or semi-private testing. If you, or someone you know, needs or wants testing this fall, contact Jenny at 503-557-2223.