Mary Harrington

Scrolling Is A Form Of Prayer

In the final installment of her digital‑reading series, Mary Harrington argues that scrolling on screens functions as a form of everyday liturgy, shaping our attention like prayer. She cites Rev. Dr. Matthew Burford’s claim that what we attend to becomes what we love, and ultimately what we protect through institutions. Harrington links doom‑scrolling to the Seven Deadly Sins, suggesting that unchecked digital attention creates a cultural “hell.” She proposes structured prayer practices as an antidote, restoring cognitive sovereignty and healthier attention algorithms.