I’m currently reading the excellent “How to Do Nothing – Resisting the Attention Economy” by Jenny Odell. It’s a dense, academic read at times, and I’ve found myself looking up words; something that I don’t do too often. That may be less of a testament to my prodigious vocabulary than to the possibility that I haven’t been challenging myself in my reading enough.
In her book, Odell rejects the idea that the attention economy (e.g. social media, TV, and their sine qua non – the advertising industry) is a given. Something we cannot escape and are powerless to confront. That we therefore need some regulatory body to rein in the attention economy’s excesses (which might indeed be necessary) and channel it towards healthier pursuits (that’s the one I’m having trouble with).
“The idea that I’ve already lost the battle of attention doesn’t sit right with me, an agential being interested in gaining control of my attention rather than simply having it directed in ways that are deemed better for me”.
Jenny Odell, “How to Do Nothing”
Exactly. Especially since this begs the question who would be the person or entity to do such directing. Who has the power, the knowledge, and the lack of self-interest to determine and, indeed, to prescribe what I (and every other individual) need? There’s enough hubris out there that there’d be plenty of volunteers for the task. I’m not denying that some of these actors really have our best interest at heart, but no matter how benevolent – they cannot know each person’s circumstances and preferences. How, then, can they know what’s best for each and every one of us? And even if they did – would we be willing to let them decide?
As for me, that’s a clear “no”. As long as my decisions and actions don’t infringe on other people’s freedoms, rights, and well-being, I don’t need any paternalistic, condescending “big brother” to tell me what to do. It’s a matter of personal autonomy.
But – and this is another facet of the same autonomy – is the attention economy really this quasi force of nature we cannot escape? Are we really nothing but puppets, deprived of will, our strings pulled by the marketing industry in whatever guise it comes? Is anybody holding a gun to our heads and forcing us to watch TV with its endless ads? Are we required by law to sign up for social media? Not yet, last time I checked, even though sometimes it feels like we’re getting there.
Yes, sure, social media lets us stay in touch with our friends and loved ones and connect with people we otherwise never would’ve met. And TV is entertaining, informative, and instructive. If that’s what we’re getting out of it, if we truly, honestly enjoy the programming and the interactions, that’s wonderful. If how we use the medium is in alignment with our values, if it’s centered on what matters to us, it can enrich our lives.
Still, we need to be aware of and pay attention to the fact that we’re not getting the full picture. There’s bias in reporting, no matter how factual. And on social media, it’s algorithms that decide which posts we get to see and which we don’t.
But then there’s social pressure. FOMO. The very human need to belong, subverted. Do we really want to belong to groups where it’s mostly about dissing “the other”? About one-upmanship? Groups where we have to carefully weigh each word, doctor every selfie, to fit in? Where we have to brand ourselves, and seem authentic while putting on a performance?
Why would we do this? Eyeballs. Social validation. Other people’s attention. And thus, while we were looking for connection, we’ve unwittingly become part of the attention economy.
Yes, I realize that I’m a hypocrite. Here I am, trying to get your attention by writing an essay and publishing it on my website. Branding myself. Polishing my sentences. Putting on a performance. But I’m not trying to sell you anything, and I’m not trying to sell you ON anything. All I’m doing is musing. Sorting out my own thinking in a public forum. If my musings resonate with anyone, all the better (the Stoics would call it a “preferred indifferent“). And if they remain unread, that’s all right as well.
Just as I’m not willing to cede my attention to whoever’s clamoring for it, so I’m not willing to tie my self-worth to things that lie outside of my control.