We’ve reached a point in history where attention, the last straw of personal autonomy, is not only desired but controlled. In an industrial society that once demanded hands and labor, today it demands minds – attention is the currency, and it is for sale. The digital panopticon, an almost invisible machine, is simply another product of industrialism, and it manipulates and harvests what should be an untouchable part of the human experience: our attention.
I briefly mentioned the subject of engineered addiction in one of my previous essays titled Digital Escapism, and have since thought to write a more detailed report on it.
Our attention is a commodity, just like gold or silver or such, only our attention isn’t tangible. Company’s want our attention for various reasons. TikTok, for example, wants our attention because the more attention we give it, the more videos we watch, and the more ads we consume. The more ads people watch, the more company’s want to pay TikTok to put their own ads on the platform. It’s a business model where we are the product and the consumer simultaneously.
Now, if a company wants your attention, there are ways for them to get it. If you take a look at nearly any major technology company, you will see that they too contribute to this growing problem. From Apple to Samsung to Instagram to Snapchat, they all have teams of people whose entire jobs are to keep. you. addicted.
I can’t stress to you enough about how bad this is.
This is a catastrophe, and it extends far beyond just our attention:
- Money – The longer we engage with social media, the more advertisements we absorb. Exposure breeds desire, and suddenly, unnecessary purchases seem all the more justifiable. These platforms feed consumerism by design, rendering us more vulnerable to financial manipulation.
- Time – Every minute spent on social media is a minute stolen from our finite existence. When we account for essential tasks like work, education, and sleep, we are left with precious little time, yet the average person now squanders over four hours a day on screens. This is time that could be spent on creation, relationships, or personal growth.
- Motivation – The most insidious effect of this attention economy is how it erodes our drive and motivation. Why should we struggle through a challenging task when an easy, numbing escape is only a tap away? This addiction to screens dulls our ambition, making it harder to focus on the things that truly matter.
This attention economy is dangerous; it’s a cycle. The more we focus on fleeting digital content, the less we notice the technologies that profit from our distraction, and we begin to lose sight of something crucial: the erosion of our autonomy.
In an industrial society where we are constantly connected, the true danger lies in the fact that we are distracted from noticing our gradual loss of control. Our ability to think critically, to question, and to act with intention fades as our minds are consumed by content designed to keep us passive. If attention is the last straw of personal autonomy, then reclaiming it is no longer just an individual choice but a necessary act of self-preservation.
