In previous essays I have suggested that there is currently an epic battle taking place for our attention. I don’t think there has been a moment in history when the battle has been this fierce. We are constantly being confronted with electronic ads, messages and images designed to hold our attention and keep us engaged. There are numerous studies that document our addiction to screens and the resulting adverse impact on our mental and physical health. Unfortunately, the attempts to grab our attention do not have our best interests in mind and do not contribute to the “good life.” How could averaging close to 50 hours per week looking at a screen translate into a life well lived? What is involuntarily thrust in front of us by sophisticated strategies expressed in opaque algorithms is not designed to educate or enrich our lives. The content does not deepen our connection with others or the world around us. They are attempts to instrumentalize our attention for someone else’s economic or political benefit. This has recently been described by D. Graham Burnett as “attention fracking” — an attempt to keep us glued to the screen as long as possible.
No longer is the goal to get our attention — they already have it. What our best and brightest tech gurus are doing now is finding increasingly sophisticated strategies to suck more time and attention out of our addiction — like fracking the last bits of oil and gas from an old already diminished deposit. How do we reclaim our lives? If one wanted to reestablish control over their attention, where would they go? What would they do? Where are the sanctuaries for our attention? What are the practices that resist market logic and add true value to our lives — make us better human beings? Although every practice can become corrupted, some suggest that the realms of religion, the humanities (as opposed to education focused on professional training), and the arts resist monetization and at their core are intended to enrich our lives. Reading a great novel, pondering a work of art, or praying/meditating can’t be reduced to a transaction, nor are they easily monetized. Yet, they hold the promise of cultivating understanding, uncovering meaning, purpose and perhaps can lead to transformation.