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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ007120S
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00:25 Singapore is a modern day wonder, it's a wealthy city/state
00:31 in southeast Asia sometimes referred to as The Lion City. 00:36 Once it was just a simple British Colonial Trading Post, 00:40 but today its morphed into a thriving global finance 00:45 Commerce and transport hub. 00:47 It's described as one of Asia's economic tigers 00:51 and what a tiger it is with a population of just six million. 00:57 It ranks as the world's most technologically ready nation 01:01 the city with the best investment potential, 01:04 the second most competitive country, the third largest 01:08 financial center, third largest oil refining and trading center, 01:13 and the world's busiest port. 01:16 Wow! In just over sixty years since gaining independence 01:21 from Britain in 1963, Singapore has become one of the most 01:26 prosperous countries in the world, no wonder 01:29 it's all action here, is such a bustling metropolis. 01:33 But it's in the area of technology and digital expansion 01:38 that Singapore really excels. 01:41 It's a city best prepared to adopt and integrate 01:45 new digital technologies and innovation. 01:48 It has come up tops in a survey that looks at how ready 01:53 economies are to maximize the potential of the 01:56 digital revolution. Singapore is on course to becoming 02:01 a digital nation and it seems that's the future for all of us. 02:07 Our societies are all moving in the same direction 02:11 and it's not surprising when you consider that new technology 02:15 is doubling every two years and that it's being utilized 02:20 more and more. 02:21 Last year, the technology industry generated the 02:26 world economy is about five and a half trillion dollars 02:30 and that's not surprising because so many of us 02:35 are part of it and use this technology. 02:38 Over 5 billion people use the internet 02:43 about 2/3's of the world's population, 02:46 nearly 200,000,000 users joined the internet last year, 02:51 that's over half a million users every day. 02:55 There are 2 billion websites and 60 billion web pages 03:00 on the internet, Google receives 100,000 searches every second. 03:06 There are over 7 billion mobile phones in the world. 03:10 Over 85% of the world's population has a mobile phone, 03:15 added together the world spends 12 billion hours using 03:20 social media every day. 03:22 Four hundred hours of new video are uploaded to YouTube 03:26 every minute, Facebook has 3 billion active users, 03:32 nearly 40% of the world's population use it every day. 03:36 On the average, we spend about 7 hours a day on screens 03:42 and for many people its significantly more than that. 03:46 These statistics are mind- blowing and a reminder 03:51 that we're all becoming more and more tightly integrated 03:54 into the new Digital World and utilizing it in our 03:58 daily activities, it's convenient and it makes life so much easier 04:04 and interesting, we're locked in, we're truly living in a world 04:09 of screens, but there's a dark side to our emersion 04:15 in the digital world and the increasing use of screens 04:18 with all the convenience and benefits come a dangerous 04:23 downside. With the increase in the use of digital technology 04:28 and exposure to screens has come a corresponding increase in 04:33 depression and other mental illnesses, anxiety, obesity, 04:38 loneliness, isolation, reduced empathy, and reduced 04:43 attention spans. Excessive use of our screens is taking 04:48 a massive toll on our health and well-being. 04:52 But providentially there's an ancient remedy that's 04:57 tried and tested in our modern world that can protect us 05:01 from these dangers and the good news is that its readily 05:05 available to all of us. Join me on a journey 05:08 into the world of digital technology and then 05:12 back through time to discover this wonder cure. 05:32 Singapore is well-known as a food haven 05:35 a real food-lovers paradise. 05:37 This city/state is a melting pot of cultures 05:41 and this is reflected in its cuisine, 05:44 there's a blend of mélange Chinese, Indonesian, 05:48 Indian and western influences. The depth and diversity of 05:53 food available here is astonishing, 05:55 there's something to suit everyone's taste 05:58 there are restaurants hawker stalls, food courts, 06:03 and street food vendors all offering a multitude of 06:08 but there is one thing all of these eateries have in common. 06:13 whether it's a Michelin style restaurant on Orchard Road, 06:17 or a small diner in little India, technology has 06:21 dramatically changed the way they do business. 06:24 So, let's give it a try and see how it works. 06:28 Once we've decided to check out a particular restaurant 06:32 we make a reservation through a mobile app. 06:35 When we arrive and are seated we use electronic menus 06:40 on a tablet, swiping through various pictures of the 06:44 items offered before placing our orders on the screen. 06:48 Then once the food is prepared, its delivered to our table 06:53 by a mobile robot and after we've finished the delicious 06:57 dishes prepared, we make the payment by using our 07:01 mobile phone, these are increasing scenes in Singapore. 07:07 Digital technology is changing the way businesses operate. 07:11 Websites, apps, social media, cloud computing, big data, 07:20 tablets, e-commerce, these technologies are among the 07:24 fastest moving trends that are changing the way we do business. 07:28 Not just here in Singapore, but right around the world. 07:32 This isn't the world of the future, it's the world of today 07:37 and in order to operate and participate actively in society 07:42 we've got to embrace it. 07:44 So, what about our personal lives? 07:48 How do we cope with all of this? 07:50 As we know, screens are everywhere, 07:53 they are all around us, in fact from the moment we wake up 07:57 we reach for screens, they are with us virtually all day 08:01 until finally we put them down when we go to sleep. 08:04 But even then, we make sure they're still close to us, 08:09 within reach. There are about 7 billion smartphones 08:14 in the world today, that's nearly enough to provide 08:18 one for every person on earth. 08:20 Smartphones are the most widely used and sold piece 08:24 of consumer technology today. This one small screen 08:29 has changed our lives forever. 08:32 The mobile phone is considered to be one of the most important 08:37 human inventions, it's become such an important part 08:41 of our daily lives that it seems impossible to carry out our 08:46 everyday chores and responsibilities without 08:49 our phones. 08:51 So, let's look at the small screen that's being the real 08:54 game changer in society, the smartphone. 08:57 It's radically changed the way we do things 09:01 with its many apps and functions. 09:03 Does anyone remember the old clock radio that used to sit 09:08 proudly beside the bed? 09:09 It was the alarm clock that told us to get up. 09:13 and the radio that gave us the important news headlines 09:17 of the day. 09:19 What about the street directory? It was needed to find your way 09:22 in the city? And then, when did you last write a letter 09:26 and buy a stamp at the post office? 09:28 Then there's the newspaper, the camera, the video camera, 09:33 all now features in your smart phone. 09:35 How about the calculator? your watch? bank passbooks? 09:40 a torch, the weather report? They've all been replaced 09:44 by your smartphone. And then do you remember CDs? 09:48 That's how we listened to music but not anymore. 09:51 Now, when it comes to playing music, we use our smartphones. 09:56 Once, people used to watch Hollywood blockbusters on DVDs 10:01 but not anymore. Movies and watching television programs 10:06 are all on demand via the internet and can be watched 10:10 on your smartphone and that's what we use now for 10:15 booking travel plans, ordering fast food, social media 10:19 and games and the thousands of apps that are available. 10:23 Where would we be in our fast- paced world without our 10:28 smart phones, they make life so much easier and 10:31 more interesting. And with all the benefits and pleasures 10:35 that our smart phones bring it's not surprising that the 10:38 average person spends between 3 to 5 hours on their phone 10:43 each day, and that doesn't include work related 10:47 smart phone use. So that's about a third of our 10:51 waking hours we spend on the phone. 10:54 In addition to our smartphones we're also watching other 10:59 screens like television, computers and tablets 11:02 this means that the average person is watching screens 11:06 for between 7 and 10 hours a day. 11:09 We're becoming more tightly integrated into the new 11:13 digital world and utilizing it in our daily activities. 11:17 We're truly living in a world of screens. 11:21 But screens come at a price, there's a dark side to our 11:26 immersion in the digital world and the increasing 11:30 use of screens. 11:32 With all the convenience and benefits comes a dangerous 11:35 downside. No matter how useful the mobile and screens might be 11:41 we cannot ignore the underlining negative effects 11:45 that they carry, here are just some of them. 11:47 Addiction, yes, mobile phone addiction is a real concern. 11:53 Today, research shows at least 50% of people admit to 11:59 addicted to their phones. 12:00 According to addiction experts our smart phones are making us 12:06 dopamine junkies with each swipe like tweet and notification 12:12 feeding our addiction. 12:14 In the 2020 Netflex Documentary The Social Dilemma 12:18 Dr. Lembke discussed that drug or addiction that is 12:23 social media. Dr Lembke emphasizes that we are now 12:28 all feel good addicts to a degree. 12:31 She even calls the smart phone the modern-day hypodermic 12:35 needle that we turn to for quick hits, seeking attention, 12:39 validation and distraction with each swipe, like and tweet. 12:45 Lembke also adds that since the turn of the millennia 12:50 there has been a huge rise in behavioral addictions our phones 12:53 as opposed to the substance addictions of the 20th century. 12:58 She says that we are seeing a huge explosion in the numbers 13:02 of people struggling with minor addictions. 13:05 Every spare second in our lives is now an opportunity to be 13:10 stimulated in the tic-toc vortex, scrolling Instagram, 13:14 checking up on Facebook and dare I say it, 13:19 swiping through Tinder or binging on porn, 13:22 online gambling and even e- shopping. 13:25 Now, there is so much more that could be said regarding 13:29 our phones and addictions, but let's move on to another 13:34 of the smartphone negatives. 13:36 And that's the increased use of screens among children 13:41 that has exploded over the past decade 13:43 both in school as an educational device and outside of school. 13:48 Between homework, social media, video games and YouTube video's 13:54 many children spend at least seven hours of screen time 13:58 daily out of school hours. 14:00 Although screens and digital technology can be useful 14:04 vehicles for information and can engage the learner 14:09 it's important to find a balance between screen time 14:12 and real-life interaction because everyone needs 14:16 relationships and screens don't provide that. 14:20 As children spend more time on screens, there are some 14:24 worrying concerns of children overdosing on screens. 14:28 Some of its disadvantages are that it can stifle 14:32 creative thinking that comes through tactile play, 14:35 and learning by touch. 14:37 It also interferes with a child's social development 14:41 direct academic performance, and changes behavior. 14:44 Leading pediatricians generally recommend the following 14:49 guidelines for screen time. 14:51 Under two years, 0 screen time, except for video chatting 14:57 with family and friends. Two to five-year-olds 15:00 no more than one hour per day of viewing. 15:04 And five to 17-year-olds, no more than two hours per day, 15:08 except for homework. 15:10 So, how do we become screen savvy for ourselves and ourselves 15:15 and for our children? We all want our children to be 15:19 healthy and to achieve so it's best to set clear limits 15:23 on screen time and establish screen-free home times 15:28 But most importantly, we as parents can be a good role model 15:33 on the appropriate use of screens. 15:35 Now, there's another issue that pops up regularly 15:39 in relation to smart phones. 15:41 And that's "waste of time." 15:44 Our smart phones can certainly waste our time. 15:49 Did you know that the average person checks their phone 15:52 once every 12 minutes? 15:54 That's about 80 times a day. According to researchers 15:59 the average adult spends between 3 and 5 hours a day on their 16:04 mobile phone. 16:05 That's around 35 hours a week and around 150 a month. 16:11 In addition is the gamey addiction that can waste 16:15 hours of time. 16:16 If you've ever played games on your mobile device 16:19 you may already understand how easy it can be to lose 16:23 track of time when you're solving fun puzzles, 16:26 slaying enemies or chasing after fictional characters 16:30 in a virtual reality setting. 16:33 The video gaming industry is worth over two hundred billion 16:37 dollars a year, and these games are now more accessible 16:41 more than ever, thanks to mobile devices. 16:44 And although there are some positives to video games 16:47 such as relaxation and hand eye coordination 16:52 there is also a flip side. 16:54 Where playing video games too often for more than 16:57 several hours can negatively impact a person's overall health 17:02 and livelihoods and lead to problems with finances, 17:06 education, social relationships, and addiction. 17:10 Many video games are designed to be addictive using 17:14 state of the art Behavioral Psychology to keep you hooked. 17:18 Games are immersive experiences that provides you with a 17:23 high amount of Dopamine and over-exposure to this level 17:28 of stimulation can cause structural changes to your brain. 17:32 Next, our smartphones can cause depression, anxiety, 17:38 and other mental disorders. 17:40 Social studies show that the overuse of mobile phones 17:44 and screens can lead to depression, especially among 17:48 teenagers. These young people are often on social media 17:52 and become obsessed with the number of likes on their 17:56 personal posts and accounts. 17:58 But, it is not just teens that are impacted, 18:01 70% of people spend more time on their phone 18:05 than with their spousal partner. 18:07 But interacting on the phone isn't the same as a real live 18:12 interaction or relationship. Increased screen use reduces 18:17 daily life interactions and can lead to loneliness, anxiety, 18:22 obesity, interrupted sleep, attention deficit order, 18:27 and mental illnesses. 18:29 Then there is distraction, screens are a huge distraction 18:35 we often decide to check up on our messages or our emails 18:40 and instead find ourselves surfing the internet for 18:44 hours on end without even realizing the time that has 18:48 passed. Then there is the resulting lack of focus 18:53 and brain fog, we sure can be easily distracted by our screens 18:58 and as we've seen, there are numerous other serious issues 19:03 for us to consider in relation to screens. 19:06 Studies show that as a society we're spending a lot of our time 19:12 on our smartphones, tablets, computers, video games, 19:16 and social media. Research also shows that when we spend too much 19:22 of our time on digital technology, our screens, 19:26 our health declines, our focus fades, and our lives 19:30 actually become less satisfactory to us. 19:33 But the reality is screens are here to stay. 19:38 So, we have to learn the best way to live with them 19:42 but not be controlled by them. 19:44 The challenge we face is how to stop screens from taking over 19:49 our lives, how to get balance into our lives. 19:53 How do we regain control over technology, our screens, 19:59 and our time? Well, it takes self-control and willpower 20:04 but deciding when to use technology and applying that 20:09 decision gives us back control and that's what Tiffany Shlaine 20:14 and her husband Ken Goldberg discovered several years ago. 20:18 Screens and technology were taking over their lives, 20:22 life had become a blur filled with deadlines, stress, and 20:26 anxiety. They were desperate to slow things down 20:30 and get balance back into their lives, 20:34 so, they decided to unplug for one day a week. 20:38 Every week, they set aside a day of rest or cessation 20:43 from the use of technology with the use of all screens 20:45 smartphones, personal computers, tablets, and 20:49 television. For one day a week they took a break from work 20:54 and avoided digital technology and it turned their lives around. 21:00 It reduced their stress and increased their productivity. 21:03 It brought new purpose and meaning into their lives and 21:08 renewed their body, mind, and soul, they found rest and peace. 21:12 They shared their experience with others and started 21:16 a movement called Tech Sabbath. 21:18 Thousands of people have taken a tech Sabbath or a digital Sabbath 21:23 and found rest and peace. 21:26 The term Sabbath is a beautiful term that means abstinence 21:32 from work in our digital age but the concept isn't new 21:37 in fact, it's been around for thousands of years. 21:41 You see, Sabbath is a Biblical term appearing throughout 21:46 the Bible and reaching right back to Creation. 21:50 God rested and introduced the Sabbath when He made the world. 21:55 The Bible says; 22:32 God knew that we needed a day off, and He planned for it 22:37 as far back as the creation of this world. 22:40 Rest is part of the divine design, the Sabbath was a 22:45 established by God after He made the world in six days. 22:49 He was the first one to celebrate it and declared the 22:54 Seventh day of each week a period of rest. 22:56 The Sabbath is God's plan to ensure we have a healthy, 23:00 balanced life. It's the perfect solution for our busy digital 23:06 world. And to help us remember that God placed this plan 23:11 for rest and optimum living right in the very heart 23:15 of the Ten Commandments, the ten principles He gave us 23:19 to live by. Here's what God said. 23:48 I find it fascinating that God placed a command to rest 23:53 in the heart of the Ten Commandments 23:55 along with other important laws such as, you shall not kill, 23:59 and you shall not steal. 24:01 Now, as this idea is familiar with the prohibitions against 24:06 killing and stealing, but has oddly forgotten the commandment 24:11 tells us to Rest, even though it's placed 24:14 right alongside the others. 24:17 God is telling us that having a day off each week 24:21 is just as important as any of those other commandments. 24:25 And not just any day off, but the Sabbath Day, 24:29 the seventh day of each week. 24:32 Now, let me tell you, I can get behind and support a commandment 24:37 that tells me to have a day off each week, 24:40 What a great idea, and it's a great idea because 24:44 It's God's idea, and He knows what's best for us. 24:49 As we've seen, our world is getting increasingly busy, 24:54 the pace of life has picked up, we're being overwhelmed 24:58 by digital technology, humans need a day of rest every week. 25:03 Getting that day of rest provides such health benefits 25:07 as reducing stress and decreasing the chance of obesity 25:12 and heart disease. Resting increases productivity 25:17 because it enables people to work at peak efficiency. 25:21 Jesus said; 25:28 It's God's gift to us, a day of rest. 25:32 From the very beginning, we needed that day of rest, 25:36 the seventh day of the week is God's sacred Sabbath 25:41 created just for you, a 24-hour oasis in time from 25:46 sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, where God asks us to 25:52 press the pause button of our busy work lives to take a break 25:57 and have a rest. 25:58 God tells us to rest. He tells us to rest by going to Him. 26:05 You see, the Sabbath is more than just a day off, 26:09 It's a special day to spend with our friend and Savior 26:14 Jesus Christ, who's given us so many gifts. 26:18 If you'd like to know more about God's remedy for the 26:22 stresses and challenges of our modern world. 26:25 Then I'd like to recommend the free gift we have 26:29 for all our Incredible Journey viewers today. 26:32 It's the popular booklet, Experiencing God's Peace. 26:37 It provides simple and surprising ways to help you 26:41 deal with the demands and pressures of life. 26:44 This booklet is our gift to you and is absolutely free. 26:47 I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. 26:52 So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity 26:55 to receive the gift we have for you today. 26:59 Phone or text 0436.333.555 in Australia or 020.422.2042 27:10 in New Zealand, or 770.800.0266 in the United States. 27:17 Or visit our website tij.tv, or simply scan the QR Code 27:23 on your screen and we'll send you today's free offer 27:26 totally free of charge and with no obligation. 27:29 You can also write to us at the addresses on your screen, 27:33 or email us at info@tij.tv, don't delay, call or text us now. 27:43 Dear Heavenly Father, we all face challenges in life, 27:47 we live in a busy stressful world and we also struggle 27:51 to find true rest and peace. But Lord, You are the plan 27:56 to provide the rest and peace we need. 27:58 You've given us a weekly gift of time, the Sabbath. 28:02 Father, guide us to this weekly day of rest that you've provided 28:07 and give us peace and happiness now and forever, 28:11 we pray in Jesus name, Amen. |
Revised 2025-09-04