Collide Magazine

The Shared Experience

Richard Clark - Originally posted Monday, October 5, 2009 -

My friends and I don’t have a whole lot in common. Sure, we share a love for one or two television shows or rock bands, or maybe we read a couple of the same web sites, but for the most part my friends and I only hold a few key cultural artifacts in common. Of course, among my closest friends, we share the important things: a love of Christ, a respect for one another, and a serious sense of life purpose. But often the similarities stop there, and amongst other acquaintances, our shared loves become even sparser.

For those of us who grew up with a bevy of media choices, it’s hard to imagine a time when 71.7 percent of all American households watched an episode of I Love Lucy and people could count on their friends having seen it. And yet in 1953, I Love Lucy—as trivial as the show itself may have been—was something that most of America shared in common. We recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of man landing on the moon, an event that everyone was not only aware of, but also watched simultaneously. Instead of watching a variety of pundits, interviews, speculations, and sound bites throughout the day at their convenience, parents woke their children, sat glued to their television sets, and watched the same basic coverage. There was little commentary filtering and coloring the event for us. There was just us and the event. Most of all, there was us.

However, when the postmodern era began, technology fed into and was fed by individualism. Television channels increased, magazines became more and more niche-based, radio stations were targeted at different audiences, and all of us chose our own stomping grounds. In spite of all of this, the true death of the shared experience didn’t arrive until the Internet became pervasive in our lives. With that final push, we became immersed in our own interests, and individualism became even more pronounced.

This individualistic shift allows for a lot of helpful things, not the least of which is the magazine you are currently reading. Unfortunately, the very commonality we have lost used to go a long way toward cultivating real fellowship with those in our churches and relating to those outside our churches. The loss of this commonality has resulted in our tendency to live extremely individual and compartmentalized lives. This is not healthy for our fellowship, evangelism, or worship. Thankfully, the shared experience is not yet completely out of reach for those who make an effort to embrace it.

Of primary importance is simply coming to terms with this problem. In other words, we need to acknowledge the reality that much of what is important to us
means little to others, even to those closest to us. This acknowledgement can be addressed in several practical ways. For instance, preachers and teachers should think seriously about how they use popular culture references and allusions in their sermons and lessons. While a Star Wars illustration may seem brilliant at the time of sermon preparation, others find it tired and worn out, insulting or offensive, or even bewildering. Because of the current state of popular culture, our response to any one movie, television show, or song can be drastically different on an individual level. To attempt a pop culture illustration during a key moment in your sermon may very well be a form of hermeneutical Russian roulette.

Apart from preaching, individuals should think carefully about the media they consume and how they consume it. When choosing between films or television shows, keep in mind the benefits of watching the same thing everyone else is watching. Despite what our current individualistic culture will tell you, going with the crowd is not always a horrible idea. The benefits of being on the same page as everyone else can be immense, not to mention the dangers of consuming media alone without any accountability or thoughtful conversation.

There are also ways that we can actively embrace community and encourage shared experience with others when we are taking in various types of media. For instance, rather than making a habit of regularly and habitually watching a continuous schedule of television programs on your own, start looking for people who might be interested in watching with you. My wife and I have people over regularly to watch episodes of Lost and So You Think You Can Dance. We also tend to invite people to see blockbuster movies. By watching these movies with others, we have the opportunity to discuss and challenge these films. This is especially important during the summer season when films tend to reinforce our own desires and prejudices rather than invite thoughtful critique.

It’s important that when we watch television or a movie together, we allow time for organic discussion to take place. Have people over a few minutes before the television show starts, mute the television during commercial breaks, or go out to eat after the movie. Don’t force the conversation with spiritual analogies or sweeping judgments, but make an attempt to ask pointed questions about ethical and spiritual issues addressed in the program. Most importantly, do all of this while applying the truths addressed in the conversation to your own lives. Whether these appointments are casual hang-out times or formal movie, television, or book clubs, they can be extremely helpful when it comes to enjoying media in a way that is both gratifying and edifying.

While technology has a lot to do with the disappearance of the shared experience in the last few years, there have also been a few developments that have offset some of what was lost. Primarily, Facebook and Twitter— while certainly containing quite a few pitfalls—provide opportunities to sync oneself with the public zeitgeist. Twitter trends, a list of popular subjects and words on Twitter, provide insight into what everyone is talking about and how they feel about those subjects. Facebook provides a more intimate look into the lives of those we interact with more closely. It’s hard to imagine how we might maintain this depth of information about so many we care about without these tools. Instead of condemning Facebook and Twitter as the death of real conversation and relationships, Christians should embrace them as supplementary to real conversation and fellowship.

As long as media is an important part of our culture, it will be necessary to consider the ways we can consume it together. But a shared experience doesn’t always have to come from a shared media experience, and it doesn’t always have to be the same experience that 71 percent of all Americans are discussing. For instance, my wife and I still don’t share a whole lot of the same favorite movies, television shows, and bands with another couple we consider friends. But one thing we do share is that yesterday we went on a hike together across a mountain. It was supposed to be a challenge, but it turned out to be a bit more challenging than we anticipated, and concluded with a race to outrun a severe thunderstorm. That’s a shared experience that’s not easily forgotten, and one that instills more trust and conversation than any summer blockbuster could.

Richard Clark is the editor-in-chief and one of the founders of Christ and Pop Culture, an online magazine that attempts to discuss and think rightly about the common knowledge of our age. He lives in Louisville, KY and has a Master of Arts in Theology and The Arts from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.