This is part-2 of https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/attention-please-your-attention-is-on-sale-64b8dcef
Now everything is designed to catch your attention. Face book and Google uses analytics and algorithms to analyze what sites you visit, what you watch more and depending on this they put up ads for your eye balls. Or it will put before you those things which it wants to promote. It will show you eye catching and extreme things because these things draw more attention. If your news feed is full of boring things then you will stop watching them.
How this attention economy is manipulated to creates extremities.
You may feel that how people are buying cool gadgets and having great vacations or having fun in life. This is because you are being exposed to such information and events and ads in disproportionate numbers, to make you feel that everyone is having fun in life except you. This will give you a feeling of something you are missing out in life, but it is only a manipulation.
The attention economy is biased towards the self promotional and narcissist, so it seems that such people are getting the attention. It may create a feeling that people are in general becoming self centered and shallow, but actually we are just getting more exposed to these types of people.
Politically also the most extreme and controversial things will get the maximum airtime because these things catch our attention. Therefore we will create an opinion that politics sucks more than ever, but it is just that we are getting exposed to such events more.
Corona virus has created worldwide scare and has garnered the maximum airtime this year. News of its geographical spread and deaths are headlines every day, even till now. However more people will die from malaria and flu than Corona. But as it is making headlines so it creates a feeling that this disease will spell doom for us.
Terrorist attacks similarly make attention grabbing headlines. But the chances of us being killed are less than getting struck by lightning. But news of terrorist events is played in such a way as if we are staring at an eminent takeover by them.
Similarly pointless but dramatic events like a wardrobe malfunction and stupid things done by celebrities and the rich and famous grab the headlines more than they deserve. It is an attempt to hammer value for those pointless things in our lives.
These examples clearly point out that our opinion is being unknowingly manipulated so that we create a worse than actual opinion about things happening around us. Or our attention is being drawn towards things which want to see. In both cases if we get carried away by these things then, ultimately we are to blame only. We focused on these without giving a thought.
But there are some good aspects of this attention economy also.
Previously incidents like sexual abuse, domestic violence, LGBT rights, and racism seemed like distant things and never came out in openly to grab our attention fully. But now such thing has reached everyone due to the internet. People are now more aware of such things and this has lead creation of public policy to curb it. Now due to social media, people are more vocal about expressing their opinions. This forces the Govt to take action more often than not.
Now it is not easy for sexual perpetrators to get away, people are treating LGBT community with empathy rather than sidelining them, racism has decreased. Corrupt governments now get toppled due to a very active social media. Now all information is open to all and nothing can be hidden from the public. This makes those in the helms of power to be cautious in their actions.
Now it is easy to contact and be in touch with old friends and even track them after many years. It is easier to share happy events and sad incidents with everyone. It is easy to garner support worldwide for any good cause. We can now feel the closeness of near and dear ones even if we are living somewhere else. This diversity of information gives us the opportunity to pursue study in any field we want.
The problem is not with the technology. It is with the group of people who are trying to manipulate it to further their cause, monetary or otherwise. This limitless information gives limitless opportunity but only when we know where to focus our ATTENTION.
Thank you Telesfor sir