Men in the Arena - Christian Men's Podcast

Scrolling Yourself to Death w/ Brett McCracken: Conquering Weakness in a Digital Age EP 911

Sep 26, 2025

Join Brett McCracken, senior editor at The Gospel Coalition and co-author of 'Scrolling Ourselves to Death', as he dives into the impact of smartphones on spiritual health. He discusses how our digital habits contribute to anxiety and loneliness, likening our culture to a dystopia of amusement. Brett shares practical advice for fathers to model phone discipline, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and reclaiming presence in family life. Discover how to break free from digital addiction and protect your kids in a tech-driven world.

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insights

INSIGHT

Scrolling Causes Spiritual Atrophy

Phone use causes literal, mental, and spiritual kinds of death that weaken our souls and relationships.
Brett McCracken argues constant scrolling steals time for prayer, presence, and spiritual formation.

insights

INSIGHT

Information Without Synthesis Starves Us

Constantly consuming digital content prevents synthesis and true nourishment for mind and soul.
Brett warns that incessant content intake leaves us overfed with information but undernourished in wisdom.

insights

INSIGHT

Limits Protect Human Flourishing

Smartphones tempt us with an illusion of God-like omniscience and control that corrupts creaturely limits.
Brett suggests embracing healthy limitations restores wise dependence and better formation.

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Why Smartphones Are Causing Spiritual and Mental Decline

05:11 • 15min

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Applying Postman's Thesis to the Age of Scrolling

19:54 • 3min

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Huxley vs. Orwell: Choice of Amusement Over Oppression

22:50 • 6min

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How Scrolling Renders Us Impotent to Act Locally

28:30 • 8min

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Information-Action Ratio: Too Much News, Too Little Agency

36:05 • 6min

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Can Technology Be a Necessary Evil? Choosing Intentional Limits

42:02 • 5min

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Smartphones and Youth Mental Health Evidence

47:07 • 4min

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Practical Steps for Dads to Model Phone Discipline

51:27 • 5min

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Setting Boundaries: You Don't Have to Be Available 24/7

• Mentioned in 182 episodes

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

Written in 1931 and published in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State where humans are bred in vitro and predestined into a rigid social hierarchy. The novel explores themes of technological advancement, social conditioning, and the loss of individuality and freedom. The story revolves around characters such as Bernard Marx, an Alpha who questions the society, Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, and John, a 'Savage' from a reservation who introduces elements of emotion and individuality into the highly controlled World State. The novel critiques the optimism of technological progress and its potential to create a society that values stability and happiness over humanity and freedom.

• Mentioned in 1,214 episodes

1984

George Orwell

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

#127

• Mentioned in 114 episodes

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Neil Postman

In this book, Neil Postman argues that the contemporary world is more akin to Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' than George Orwell's '1984'. Postman contends that television's emphasis on entertainment has led to a decline in rational discourse and the trivialization of politics, education, and religion. He contrasts the print-based culture of the 19th century with the televisual culture of the 20th century, highlighting how the medium of television inherently promotes incoherence and triviality, turning serious information into a form of entertainment.

#7825

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Scrolling Ourselves to Death

Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age

Ivan Mesa

Brett McCracken

In "Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age," Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa explore the pervasive influence of digital technology on our lives. The book examines how our constant engagement with smartphones and social media impacts our attention spans, relationships, and spiritual well-being. It delves into the addictive nature of these technologies and the ways they can distract us from what truly matters. The authors offer practical strategies for reclaiming our lives from the grip of digital distraction and cultivating a more intentional and meaningful existence. The book serves as a timely and relevant resource for Christians and non-Christians alike, seeking to navigate the complexities of the digital age.

#22234

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

• Mentioned in 300 episodes

The Anxious Generation

Jonathan Haidt

In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.

#1632

• Mentioned in 19 episodes

Experience Jesus Really

John Eldredge

#9606

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

Tell Them What Great Fathers Tell Their Sons and Daughters

Tame Every Thought is a book aimed at helping individuals control their thoughts and reduce anxiety. Max Lucado provides practical guidance for capturing negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. The book incorporates biblical principles and encourages readers to focus on God's truth. Lucado's writing style is accessible and relatable, making it a helpful resource for managing mental health. The book focuses on how to manage your thoughts through your relationship with Jesus. It shares tips on how to reduce anxiety and replace negative thought patterns.

Is your phone making you weaker? Are you being discipled by your screen instead of by Christ?

In this week's expert interview, Jim Ramos is joined by author Brett McCracken who exposes how our scrolling culture is robbing men of strength, focus, and spiritual health. They unpack the dangers of digital addiction, why constant information leaves us powerless, and what it really means to lead and protect your home in a tech-driven world.

You'll walk away with practical advice on how to break free from phone addiction and model strength for your kids and simple daily habits to reclaim focus, prayer, and presence.

Check out Brett's book 'Scrolling Ourselves to Death'

This episode is sponsored by MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab, a Christian-owned fitness app. Get 6 weeks free with the code ARENA30 at MTNTOUGH.com.

Every man needs a locker room. Join a brotherhood of like-minded men in The Locker Room, our bi-monthly live Zoom Q&A call! We meet in the Locker Room twice a month for community, fellowship, laughter, and to help each other find biblical answers to life's difficult questions. Sharing community with these amazing men is one of the most enjoyable things I do. - Jim Ramos https://patreon.com/themeninthearena

Get Jim Ramos' USA TODAY Bestselling book, Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God (https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook)

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