The Digital Pollution of Modern Youth

This interview was recorded on January 26, 2021. Steve Jobs, reflecting on the state of the modern world from the perspective of the spiritual realm, shares his insights on the profound impact of digital technology on the youth of today and the urgent necessity of returning to the purity of the true self.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. This is a difficult generation in which to survive. Children today are often perceived as being 'smarter' than their parents, and parents, in turn, strive to satisfy every whim of their children. This so-called 'free development' education is essentially allowing children to form their own opinions far too early. Parents mistakenly believe that providing their children with the best resources the modern era has to offer constitutes good care. However, the child's heart is pulled strongly toward the external world. In order to fit in with their peers and have something to talk about, they try to follow whatever is currently trending. Today, 'technology' is the primary tool used to raise children, and the internet is a vast, boundless virtual platform where information explodes in such volume that one cannot see the horizon. Once a child touches this, they are exposed to information entirely inappropriate for their age. Whether it is the endless cycle of news, violent video games, or imagery of sexual intimacy, the moment these images enter your eyes, they leave a permanent mark within. Children may even come to believe that acting out these things later in life is perfectly natural."

"This rapid, premature maturation and the knowledge they acquire become a form of pollution for the child. This pollution is insidious; it makes the child's heart lose its original simplicity, replacing it with a clutter of complex thoughts, opinions, and skewed perspectives. Parents, not understanding the gravity of the situation, often mistake this for brilliance. They praise their children for being 'so smart,' unaware that the child's spirituality has already been covered over, and that their bodies are often filled with spiritual attachments. Because children are maturing too quickly, they begin to pursue endless desires and material goods, constantly seeking new sensations. Many of the tones of voice and attitudes they adopt are learned directly from this explosion of digital information, leading them to create karma without even knowing it."

The Erosion of Innocence

"During the time when Grandmother was performing Chao Du for the hells, we witnessed a very small child suffering retribution. This shocked all of us Dharma protectors—how could such a young child be seen in the hells? Upon closer inspection, the child was only about three years old, yet his eyes were filled with violence and malice. It turned out that this young child had been following adults in watching television. Because the parents were too busy, they let the child develop 'freely.' The child learned many expressions, tones, and even violent physical movements from the television, and became addicted to games on mobile phones. The child began to have a violent temper, became easily angered, looked at his parents with hateful eyes, talked back, and even struck his parents without mercy. The parents did not understand why the child had become this way. They were honest people running a business; they had never taught the child these things. Yet, faced with such behavior, they were at a loss as to how to teach him or how to help him return to his former self."

"They did not realize that computers and mobile phones had polluted the child. Without any awareness, the child had already formed these habits. When the parents finally discovered the problem and wanted to break these habits, it was already too late. The child would fly into a rage, believing that his parents were depriving him of his interests. The child had already entered the 'prison' of his own mind; his soul was no longer sound, and in many moments, he was no longer the master of his own actions. This child, only three years old, was already suffering retribution in the hells for his defiance of his parents. At such a young age, how will his future days be spent? How many other children in society are the same? The current state of society is like a giant dyeing vat. How to change this is a problem that everyone in this generation must face."

The Technology of the True Self

"Grandmother is constantly giving Dharma talks every day. The Dharma she leaves behind is intended to persuade the world to change their concepts. She wants to help everyone purify themselves so they do not lose their original nature and soul. Now, this great Dharma is also being promoted on the internet; it needs more people to hear it, understand it, and subsequently promote it. This world must be saved, and children are the most important foundation. 'Simplicity' and 'Goodness' are the great roots and foundation of the Buddha’s teachings. Only by finding the self within one's original nature will one discover that the light within the true self is the only 'technology' worth pursuing. The technology of looking inward is boundless, just as Grandmother’s Dharma Body wanders freely. The Dharma must continue to be spread, allowing more people to wake up from their delusion."

"To help the boundless number of sentient beings and children, the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre must be even more diligent. In the days to come, this place will be a temple of pure goodness, a school, and a center for teaching. Each person must act as a guide of Goodness, fulfilling their own responsibilities so as not to waste this life. This is what it means to be a true practitioner of the Buddha’s teachings."