Table of Contents<\/h2>- What Is the Attention Economy?<\/a>
- How the Attention Economy Works<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- How the Attention Economy Is Reshaping Society<\/a>
- 1. Media Organizations Compete for Our Limited Attention<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Politicians Adapt Their Communication to Maximize Attention<\/a><\/li>
- 3. People Strive to Gain Others\u2019 Attention<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Loss of Context and Depth<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Social Atomization<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- The Result: Fragmented Public Discourse<\/a><\/li>
- Learn More About the Attention Economy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n
What Is the Attention Economy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn her book How to Do Nothing<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Jenny Odell discusses the consequences of the attention economy<\/em>. What is the attention economy? It’s<\/strong> the mindset of placing a monetary value on time and attention. <\/strong>Odell explains how the attention economy works and explores its negative impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n(Shortform note: The concept of the attention economy was first proposed by 20th-century American psychologist and economist Herbert A. Simon and amounted to a shift in how to understand information. Simon suggested that instead of thinking of information\u2014advertising, media, ideas, and so on\u2014as a scarce commodity sought out by consumers, we should instead think of the attention of consumers as a scarce commodity sought out by information (or the people who create it)<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow the Attention Economy Works<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOdell explains that, in the 1980s, corporate deregulation\u2014the elimination of laws and rules regarding corporate conduct\u2014as well as the loss of labor power, allowed the wealthy and major corporations to monetize much larger portions of people\u2019s lives. The cutting of social safety nets and stagnation of wages also put people in a situation where they couldn\u2019t say no to more work or worse working conditions without risking their livelihoods. This economic shift led to a mindset <\/em>shift: People had to start thinking of their time and attention in terms of monetary value.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n(Shortform note: The development of the attention economy also correlates with a general trend in the developed world away from manufacturing<\/a> and toward a knowledge- and service-based economy. In this new economy, a much larger portion of wealth comes not from concrete things like houses, cars, or oil but from intangible things like data or intellectual property. This is important because while tangible things are limited in supply, intangible things aren\u2019t\u2014for instance, unlike cars, computer files can be endlessly reproduced at little to no cost. But while supply is nearly limitless, demand is not. Therefore, success in this new economy requires getting attention to create<\/em> demand.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Monetization of Time<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe increased monetization of time, Odell explains, means people are almost always \u201con\u201d in some way.<\/strong> Over the past several decades, the line between when people are and are not working has grown blurrier. More jobs are temporary gigs or rely on self-promotion, meaning people have to use their time not only to do<\/em> work but also to ensure they have<\/em> more work to do in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n(Shortform note: The increased monetization of time doesn\u2019t necessarily mean people are getting paid more for all the time they\u2019re \u201con.\u201d In fact, with the rise of gig and remote work, unpaid overtime has risen sharply over the last few decades<\/a>\u2014time when workers are doing work-related tasks but not getting paid. This can mean constantly keeping an eye on their email inboxes, taking urgent after-hours work calls, or simply blurring the lines between when they\u2019re on or off work.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Monetization of Attention<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nOdell suggests that the internet and social media have increasingly monetized attention.<\/strong> The internet generates more money than ever through pay-per-click ads, donations, sponsorships, and so on. And with the vast amount of information available on the internet, people have to compete to be noticed, and some use social or psychological manipulation to try and boost engagement. Even if you aren\u2019t trying to garner attention of your own online, simply using the internet and social media means facing hordes of people clamoring for your attention, many of whom are manipulating you to try and boost engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n(Shortform note: Over the past decade or so, there\u2019s been a shift in the monetization of attention as more online businesses move from pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements on free content to subscription services<\/a>, sponsored content, and content behind paywalls. This also means a change in strategy, as subscription services are less concerned with the views on each individual piece of content and more concerned with maintaining their existing customer base. But while this might lessen the constant demands for consumer attention, it won\u2019t stop attention from being monetized\u2014especially as more subscription services compete with one another.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow the Attention Economy Is Reshaping Society<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Crowd](\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/people-using-phones-crowd-1024x491.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn his book The Sirens\u2019 Call<\/em><\/a>, MSNBC host Chris Hayes takes a closer look at how these changes have played out in the media we consume, the political dialogue we take part in, the social validation we pursue\u2014and the resulting fragmentation of our public discourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Media Organizations Compete for Our Limited Attention<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe transformation of attention into a commodity has altered how media organizations operate. Hayes explains, based on his experience at MSNBC, that the competition for attention degrades public discourse as news organizations abandon their traditional role of informing citizens in favor of capturing eyeballs. Every cable news show receives minute-by-minute ratings data that creates intense pressure on hosts and producers<\/strong>. Hayes describes how when a segment performs well, the rush of validation encourages more of the same content. When ratings drop, the fear of failure drives increasingly sensational programming choices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n(Shortform note: HBO\u2019s The Newsroom<\/em><\/a> illustrated the pressure to prioritize attention over truth<\/a>\u2014and its psychological toll\u2014when the show\u2019s fictional news team was forced to cover the Casey Anthony trial and the Anthony Weiner scandal<\/a> for ratings, pushing aside more substantive stories. At times, the constant ratings pressure not only undercuts editorial judgment<\/a> but also erodes journalism\u2019s democratic function as the \u201cfourth estate\u201d that holds government and powerful institutions accountable. The episode\u2019s climactic moment<\/a> came when anchor Will McAvoy decided to \u201cthrow out the rundown\u201d\u2014abandoning the Casey Anthony coverage\u2014and instead gave his economics correspondent two full segments to discuss the debt ceiling.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nHayes explains that the competition for eyeballs has led to the adoption of slot machine mechanics<\/strong> across news and entertainment platforms. Television producers use rapid scene changes, flashing graphics, and urgent music to grab our involuntary attention. Breaking news alerts multiply, even for minor stories, because novelty captures focus more effectively than importance. Social media platforms employ infinite scroll designs that eliminate natural stopping points, keeping users engaged through the compulsive need to check for new content.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMedia organizations have also learned to weaponize interruption and novelty as attention-capture strategies. Push notifications create artificial urgency around routine news updates, auto-playing videos assault users\u2019 involuntary attention systems, and clickbait headlines promise information rewards that the actual content rarely delivers. The result is a media landscape where attention-grabbing ability matters more than truth, importance, or public benefit<\/strong>. Stories that generate strong emotional reactions\u2014particularly outrage, fear, or tribal identification\u2014receive disproportionate coverage. Meanwhile, complex issues, such as climate change or policy details, struggle to compete with more immediately stimulating content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n(Shortform note: News media specifically targets our emotions and exploits our brains\u2019 threat-detection systems by casting political opponents as existential dangers. Networks with specific political slants build narratives around fear and envy<\/a>, portraying opposing groups as threats to viewers\u2019 way of life while offering their programming as safe havens from social conflict<\/a>. The emotional triggers these networks use\u2014fear, anger, tribal identification\u2014override rational thinking and create the same dopamine spikes and elevated stress hormones found in many forms of addiction.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- How the Attention Economy Works<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- How the Attention Economy Is Reshaping Society<\/a>
- 1. Media Organizations Compete for Our Limited Attention<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Politicians Adapt Their Communication to Maximize Attention<\/a><\/li>
- 3. People Strive to Gain Others\u2019 Attention<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Loss of Context and Depth<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Social Atomization<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- The Result: Fragmented Public Discourse<\/a><\/li>
- Learn More About the Attention Economy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n
What Is the Attention Economy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In her book How to Do Nothing<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Jenny Odell discusses the consequences of the attention economy<\/em>. What is the attention economy? It’s<\/strong> the mindset of placing a monetary value on time and attention. <\/strong>Odell explains how the attention economy works and explores its negative impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Shortform note: The concept of the attention economy was first proposed by 20th-century American psychologist and economist Herbert A. Simon and amounted to a shift in how to understand information. Simon suggested that instead of thinking of information\u2014advertising, media, ideas, and so on\u2014as a scarce commodity sought out by consumers, we should instead think of the attention of consumers as a scarce commodity sought out by information (or the people who create it)<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How the Attention Economy Works<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Odell explains that, in the 1980s, corporate deregulation\u2014the elimination of laws and rules regarding corporate conduct\u2014as well as the loss of labor power, allowed the wealthy and major corporations to monetize much larger portions of people\u2019s lives. The cutting of social safety nets and stagnation of wages also put people in a situation where they couldn\u2019t say no to more work or worse working conditions without risking their livelihoods. This economic shift led to a mindset <\/em>shift: People had to start thinking of their time and attention in terms of monetary value.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Shortform note: The development of the attention economy also correlates with a general trend in the developed world away from manufacturing<\/a> and toward a knowledge- and service-based economy. In this new economy, a much larger portion of wealth comes not from concrete things like houses, cars, or oil but from intangible things like data or intellectual property. This is important because while tangible things are limited in supply, intangible things aren\u2019t\u2014for instance, unlike cars, computer files can be endlessly reproduced at little to no cost. But while supply is nearly limitless, demand is not. Therefore, success in this new economy requires getting attention to create<\/em> demand.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Monetization of Time<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The increased monetization of time, Odell explains, means people are almost always \u201con\u201d in some way.<\/strong> Over the past several decades, the line between when people are and are not working has grown blurrier. More jobs are temporary gigs or rely on self-promotion, meaning people have to use their time not only to do<\/em> work but also to ensure they have<\/em> more work to do in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Shortform note: The increased monetization of time doesn\u2019t necessarily mean people are getting paid more for all the time they\u2019re \u201con.\u201d In fact, with the rise of gig and remote work, unpaid overtime has risen sharply over the last few decades<\/a>\u2014time when workers are doing work-related tasks but not getting paid. This can mean constantly keeping an eye on their email inboxes, taking urgent after-hours work calls, or simply blurring the lines between when they\u2019re on or off work.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Monetization of Attention<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Odell suggests that the internet and social media have increasingly monetized attention.<\/strong> The internet generates more money than ever through pay-per-click ads, donations, sponsorships, and so on. And with the vast amount of information available on the internet, people have to compete to be noticed, and some use social or psychological manipulation to try and boost engagement. Even if you aren\u2019t trying to garner attention of your own online, simply using the internet and social media means facing hordes of people clamoring for your attention, many of whom are manipulating you to try and boost engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Shortform note: Over the past decade or so, there\u2019s been a shift in the monetization of attention as more online businesses move from pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements on free content to subscription services<\/a>, sponsored content, and content behind paywalls. This also means a change in strategy, as subscription services are less concerned with the views on each individual piece of content and more concerned with maintaining their existing customer base. But while this might lessen the constant demands for consumer attention, it won\u2019t stop attention from being monetized\u2014especially as more subscription services compete with one another.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How the Attention Economy Is Reshaping Society<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIn his book The Sirens\u2019 Call<\/em><\/a>, MSNBC host Chris Hayes takes a closer look at how these changes have played out in the media we consume, the political dialogue we take part in, the social validation we pursue\u2014and the resulting fragmentation of our public discourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Media Organizations Compete for Our Limited Attention<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The transformation of attention into a commodity has altered how media organizations operate. Hayes explains, based on his experience at MSNBC, that the competition for attention degrades public discourse as news organizations abandon their traditional role of informing citizens in favor of capturing eyeballs. Every cable news show receives minute-by-minute ratings data that creates intense pressure on hosts and producers<\/strong>. Hayes describes how when a segment performs well, the rush of validation encourages more of the same content. When ratings drop, the fear of failure drives increasingly sensational programming choices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Shortform note: HBO\u2019s The Newsroom<\/em><\/a> illustrated the pressure to prioritize attention over truth<\/a>\u2014and its psychological toll\u2014when the show\u2019s fictional news team was forced to cover the Casey Anthony trial and the Anthony Weiner scandal<\/a> for ratings, pushing aside more substantive stories. At times, the constant ratings pressure not only undercuts editorial judgment<\/a> but also erodes journalism\u2019s democratic function as the \u201cfourth estate\u201d that holds government and powerful institutions accountable. The episode\u2019s climactic moment<\/a> came when anchor Will McAvoy decided to \u201cthrow out the rundown\u201d\u2014abandoning the Casey Anthony coverage\u2014and instead gave his economics correspondent two full segments to discuss the debt ceiling.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hayes explains that the competition for eyeballs has led to the adoption of slot machine mechanics<\/strong> across news and entertainment platforms. Television producers use rapid scene changes, flashing graphics, and urgent music to grab our involuntary attention. Breaking news alerts multiply, even for minor stories, because novelty captures focus more effectively than importance. Social media platforms employ infinite scroll designs that eliminate natural stopping points, keeping users engaged through the compulsive need to check for new content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Media organizations have also learned to weaponize interruption and novelty as attention-capture strategies. Push notifications create artificial urgency around routine news updates, auto-playing videos assault users\u2019 involuntary attention systems, and clickbait headlines promise information rewards that the actual content rarely delivers. The result is a media landscape where attention-grabbing ability matters more than truth, importance, or public benefit<\/strong>. Stories that generate strong emotional reactions\u2014particularly outrage, fear, or tribal identification\u2014receive disproportionate coverage. Meanwhile, complex issues, such as climate change or policy details, struggle to compete with more immediately stimulating content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Shortform note: News media specifically targets our emotions and exploits our brains\u2019 threat-detection systems by casting political opponents as existential dangers. Networks with specific political slants build narratives around fear and envy<\/a>, portraying opposing groups as threats to viewers\u2019 way of life while offering their programming as safe havens from social conflict<\/a>. The emotional triggers these networks use\u2014fear, anger, tribal identification\u2014override rational thinking and create the same dopamine spikes and elevated stress hormones found in many forms of addiction.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- 2. Politicians Adapt Their Communication to Maximize Attention<\/a><\/li>
- How the Attention Economy Is Reshaping Society<\/a>