In a recent talk, E. Bednar cautioned us to remember the difference between what is real and what is a simulation.  Are internet relationships real?  Are internet friends real?  Would you know your internet friends if you passed them on the street?  He specifically cautioned against getting lost in fantasy worlds that we have created instead of living our lives in the real world.  And he suggested that using an avatar or false persona to live a double life in which you can break the commandments is dangerous spiritually.

So, how do you know if you are an internet addict?  A site called netaddiction.com lists some of the symptoms:

• Failed attempts to control behavior.  I assume this is just internet behavior, not behavior in general.  Like, I have a hard time controlling my kids’ behavior, but I don’t think that counts.
• Heightened sense of euphoria while involved in computer and Internet activities.  Euphoria, not so much.  But my butt has fallen asleep occasionally.
• Neglecting friends and family.  This one seems on point with E. Bednar’s talk.  Of course, you might be on line WITH friends and family.
• Neglecting sleep to stay online.  I suppose, but you might also stay up late reading, yet no one accuses people of being a book addict.  They just say you are well-read.
• Being dishonest with others.  Again, I assume this is specifically dishonesty about internet usage.  Not just, “No, that skirt doesn’t make you look fat, honey.”
• Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed as a result of online behavior.  This could be linked to porn usage, neglecting the real people around us, or even just feeling that internet relationships are less satisfying somehow, like empty calories.
• Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome.  Wait, you can lose weight throug internet usage?  I did not know this.
• Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities.  Again, this assumes that other pleasurable activities have been offered.

So, let’s see how bad we are.  This is adapted from the online diagnostic at the addiction site.  Remember, it’s anonymous, so you can answer truthfully, even about your lying:

[poll id = "84"]

Let’s see how many scored in the “at risk” range:

[poll id = "85"]

How do you keep your internet usage from morphing into addiction?  Do you think this is a generational problem?  Were kids of prior eras just addicted to other things that didn’t get a cool name?  Discuss.

1. lds.org is ranked 2,775th.  There are 3,305 other sites with a link to their site (a big driver of traffic).  On average, readers spend 5 mins there.
2. familysearch.org is ranked 10,002nd.  There are 3,686 sites that link in, and readers spend an average of 10.3 mins on the site.
3. mormon.org is ranked 58,188th.  1,160 other sites link in, and readers spend an average of 2.4 mins there.
4. providentliving.org is ranked 80,071st.  There are 335 links from other sites, and the average time spent on the site is 4.5 mins.
5. mormontimes.com is ranked 90,257th.  287 sites link in, and the average time on the site is 2.7 mins.

To be fair, I should mention that the next ranked Mormon-themed site after ericsnider’s was ex-mormon.org at 123,717th.  It links from 262 sites and captivates attention for an average of 6.5 mins.

That brings us to the bloggernacle.  It would be more time-consuming that I have the stomach for to do an alexa.com search on all bloggernacle sites, although it is a free site, and all of you are welcome to dig around there are find out whatever interests you.  I did search the largest bloggernacle sites that readily came to mind.  I apologize in advance for any I may have overlooked that ranked higher.  I believe I searched thoroughly, but I’ve been wrong before.

In order, here are the top 5 Bloggernacle sites (drum roll, please):

1. By Common Consent at 192,598th and closing in on that coveted 100K threshold!  They are linked from 204 sites, and readers spend an average of 4.4 mins there.
2. Times & Seasons at 237,558th.  They are linked from 251 sites, and readers spend an average of 3 mins there.
3. Mormon Matters at 348,778th.  We are linked from only 91 sites, but readers spend an average of 7.8 mins with us.  The crowd goes wild!  We’d like to thank the academy . . .
4. Feminist Mormon Housewives at 369,720th.  They link from 201 site, and readers stay on the site an average of 4.1 mins.
5. Mormon Mentality at 636,957th.  They link from 76 other sites, and average time on the site is 2.5 mins.

I had to cut the list somewhere, but I feel remiss if I don’t mention that Segullah is very close on the heels of Mormon Mentality, ranking 654,988th, with 68 linked sites and an average of 4 mins.

Also of note, many of the sites are on the rise in popularity.  Perhaps the bloggernacle is growing up *sniff, sniff*.

Regarding Facebook penetration, here’s how Mormon Matters compares:

• Mormon Matters is currently ranked 4th under the tag “Mormonism” behind Feminist Mormon Housewives, By Common Consent, and Juvenile Instructor.
• Under “LDS” Mormon Matters is also 4th behind Baby Making Machine, Mormanity, and The Mysterious Mrs. B. Roth.
• Under “Religion” Mormon Matters is not currently in the top 50.  So let’s work on that!

Any surprises here?  Do you enjoy the other great bloggernacle sites like we do?  I have stats for many of the others (if you are interested in something particular, I can perhaps drop those stats into the commentary below at request, or you can check it out yourself at alexa.com). Are you following the Tweeternacle?  Have you added your favorite blogs to your Networked blogs on Facebook?  And lastly, what can Mormon Matters do to retain its niche while casting a wider net?

Discuss.

Since Mormon Stories, Mormon Matters, For those who wonder.com and a plethora of others that have come into my view it has significantly changed my insights of what I thought was black and white dramatically.

Cognitive Dissonance: A condition of conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between one’s beliefs and one’s actions, such as opposing the slaughter of animals and eating meat. I personally love cognitive dissonance! It is in fact how real life is and I think the Internet Chapel provides the real life church where thoughts are free and open and you don’t have to hold your opinions back.
Virtual Church: “Don’t act like you haven’t thought about it already.” I have never met any of you personally except for Stephen Wellington and John Dehlin. But I do have daydreams of a Cognitive Dissonance virtual chapel with you guys.

1. I can imagine a well-balanced Bishopric with Stephen Marsh as Bishop
2. Jamie Twyth as first Councillor and no second councillor because were in the church’s small units program.
3. Andrew Ainsworth would screen our talks as the correlation committee and protect us from liable.
4. Bruce Nielson would be the church’s first male primary president.
5. Chris W lobbying the brethren for feminine rights for Mormon women.
6. Christopher Bigelow editor of ward newspaper” Double talk.”
7. Clay Whipkey and Lisa Ray Turner would introduce us to Indie Punk Mormon Hymns.
8. Shawn Larsen Ward employment for disaffected Mormons.
9. John Hamer of course would be ward historian,
10. Hawk Girl Unisex priesthood instructor,
11. Adam F ward psychologist using Buddhist modus operandi.
12. Heather B ward lobbyist Mormons / A New Earth.
13. Jeff Spector Jewish relations / Mormons and co writer with Shawn Larsen famous Mormons with beards.
14. Nick Literski magazine and Clean Flicks rep.
15. Peter Brown boy scout troop leader – but we don’t have any scouts yet.
16. Wade Nelson sabbatical writing Mormon Doctrine 2.
17. Terry Foraker Road show director based on the novel “Leaving the Saints”.
18. KC Kearn ward internet specialist “specializing in monitoring for Strengthen the Church Committee”.
19. John Nilson crisis of faith councillor helping guys like James and Ray when they crash and burn.
20. Stephen Wellington High priest group leader emphasizing service.
21. John Dehlin Gospel Doctrine.

If I left anyone out don’t feel bad you simply weren’t in my daydream!

• Is this an accurate view of us?
• What could have been added?
• Is there a growing trend in our community of Internet Mormons?
• Is your ward or branch as stimulating as the Internet Chapel?