Without any doubt, new communication technologies have changed everyday life in unforeseen ways and to an unimagined extend. They altered – not totally, but significantly – the way people relate to each other, share insights and information, and how they allow their personal inner space of imagination, hoping, and belonging to be informed by public forces of communication. These technologies not only deeply influence our private lives, but also influence political, legal, religious, artistic, educational, and eventually economic action. While the degree of change is hardly debatable there is much public and academic debate (using the very same media!) whether we are increasingly “alone together” and become detached spectators of other people’s worries, or, whether these communication technologies enable forms of participation unknown in the past and thus foster democracy and vitalize public life.
What is submerged, what is implicit, and what is not sufficiently examined? Where can “Enhancing Life Studies” make a difference? Where do we want to shift scholarly attention?
“Enhancing Life Studies” with the emphasis on spiritual laws, human needs, aspirations, and the search for making life ‘richer’ and ‘deeper’ can shift the perspective in public debate and scholarly attention. The technological developments in media communication are not only and exclusively driven by technological achievements and economic interests. Instead, we do need to explore what impulses for enhancing individual and social life are present through communication. In particular, we need to know what spiritual laws are working in this search for communication, understanding, belonging, and human sharing.
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