How your undivided attention became the ultimate currency
In a world saturated with information and stimulation, our undivided attention has become a valuable commodity. What will brands do for a second of our attention? Let’s take a Deep Dive.
👀 The battle for our attention is fierce, with every app, advertisement and article vying for a moment of our time.
🧠 Understanding the attention economy reveals how our mental resources are allocated and exploited as a form of cognitive capitalism.
📱 This isn’t just about digital distraction. It fundamentally reshapes how value is created and captured in this century.
QUOTABLE
“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
— Simone Weil, philosopher and activist
BY THE NUMBERS
$627 billion Digital advertising spending worldwide was estimated at $627 billion in 2023, underscoring the economic weight of our attention.
2,600 The typical mobile phone user touches their smartphones over 2,600 times a day. Actions like typing, tapping and swiping the phone’s screen count as a “touch”.
6,000 We are exposed to an average of 6,000 to 10,000 advertisements every day.
QUIZ
What is the average adult’s attention span when working on a screen?
A. 2 minutes
B. 59 seconds
C. 47 seconds
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
The concept of continuous partial attention describes the state at which our focus is constantly divided between multiple sources of information. This can negatively impact how deeply we understand the information and how much we can concentrate on any one task or piece of information.
THE EDIT
🌍 A global phenomenon. The attention economy knows no borders; it’s affecting societies worldwide.
📊 The cost of distraction. Our scattered focus affects our productivity and well-being.
💡 Light at the end of the tunnel. Practising strategies like mindfulness and meditation can safeguard our attention in the digital age.
👥 The power of focus. Having focus leads to us creating deeper and more meaningful connections, and generating long-term success.
WATCH
This lecture by editor Kevin Kelly discusses the future of competition for our attention and the tools that can help us decide where to spend it.
THE FULL PICTURE
The pyramid diagram by data-journalist and author, David McCandless, from the visual blog, Information is Beautiful, shows the varying levels of interferences vying for our attention.
KEY PLAYER
Tristan Harris
Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, is at the forefront of advocating for ethical design that respects users’ attention and well-being.
HONOUREE TO KNOW
Jessica Yeung
In our digital age, overstimulation can result in overwhelm and stress. Jessica Yeung, the founder and CEO of Common Care, is working to increase mental healthcare accessibility by connecting individuals with professionals for online therapy sessions.
ONE FINAL THING
The paradox of choice suggests that more options don’t equate to better decisions. To maximisers—those who want to make the best choice—an abundance of options can leave you with more regret than satisfaction.
