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Soul and silicon

James Toews

Soul & Silicon: Spirits in a High-Tech World. The title jumped off the computer screen as I was browsing the Web site of the world's biggest bookstore. What does spirituality look like in Silicon Valley in California, the "computer technology capital of the world"? Great question! I read a couple of glowing reviews, put the book in my electronic shopping cart and continued to browse other titles. Three days later, the book was in my hands.

This book, written by Silicon Valley insider Carl Goldman, is a summary, taken from extensive interviews, of the spiritual lives of one of the most technologically advanced communities in the world.

So what did I discover? First, when buying a book there is no substitute for actually picking up the book and leafing through it.

More importantly, I was reminded that, while Silicon Valley may be the most modern community in the world, its level of spirituality is not the least bit new or unique. It is true, that organized religion is practised differently in highly mobile societies with rapidly changing technologies than in older communities with stable job markets. It is also not surprising that highly driven, affluent people will express their hopes, dreams and anxieties differently than members of society. But what struck me most in reading this book was the uniformity of human response to spiritual questions. From agrarian cultures in ancient times to cities at the edge of the 21st century, not much has really changed. A deep spiritual hunger continues to gnaw away at the edge of every human soul. For some people, that hunger is as visible as the physical hunger in the pleading eyes of children from famine-ravished regions of the world. In others, the spiritual hunger is hidden behind a quick retort and a disdainful glance. But as the interviews roll by, it is the uniformity of the spiritual need which becomes apparent.

We are also reminded that spiritual hunger is easily relegated to the edges of our lives. It is a shocking, yet timeless observation that humanity is fickle. The house, the car, the job, the relationship and the spiritual quest which seemed so important last week, quickly becomes yesterday's news. The rapid pace of life in Silicon Valley simply makes this universal inclination more obvious.

Finally, it is reassuring that the people of Silicon Valley are spiritually hungry. For those of us who live with computers, it is good to know that technology does not take people away from God. Yet, Goldman's response to this universal search is inadequate. In his conclusion, he promotes an easy spirituality which accepts a diversity of answers and assumes we are all going to end in the same place. He says that people's "ultimate goal . . . is to someday, some way, have the time and space to dive deep, and fully explore their hearts and souls, the meaning of their existence, and their relationship with God. . . . Who knows? Maybe our road to eternal life will indeed happen via some sort of cosmic computer emulation [founded] in a hallowed, ancient enclave called Silicon Valley."

Maybe. Maybe not. Possibly a better summary of humanity's search for truth was given 2000 years ago: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

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