#2290

Mentioned in 16 episodes

The Attention Merchants

The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads

Book • 2016

In 'The Attention Merchants', Tim Wu explores the history and impact of the industries that feed on human attention.

Starting from the 19th century with Benjamin Day's penny newspapers, Wu traces the evolution of advertising through various media, including radio, television, and the internet.

He argues that the basic business model of 'attention merchants' has remained constant: offering free diversion in exchange for moments of attention, which are then sold to advertisers.

The book also examines the societal and psychological effects of this attention economy and the various revolts against it.

Mentioned by

Ernst-Jan Pfauth

Marina Weisband

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Brian McCullough

Jared Henderson

Michael Batnick

Mentioned in 16 episodes

Mentioned by

Rolf Potts

in relation to the attention economy.

#624: Rolf Potts — The Vagabond’s Way, Tactics for Immersive Travel, Pilgrimages and Psychogeography, Empathy Machines, Full-Throated Love, The Slow Sense of Smell, Lessons from Thích Nhất Hạnh, Falling Upward, and More

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

when discussing the evolution of internet content and drawing parallels to historical media transitions.

Ep. 230: How Well Are You Living?

Recommended by

Jared Henderson

as a valuable read for understanding the dynamics of attention in media.

Is this the Disenlightenment?

Mentioned by

Ernst-Jan Pfauth

as a book where Barry Diller's name often appeared.

Vergaderen in 2025 | POM S11E19

Erwähnt von

Marina Weisband

als Buch von Tim Wu, der den Begriff Netzneutralität geprägt hat, und in dem er die Geschichte der Aufmerksamkeitshändler beschreibt.

Medien rauben uns Lebenszeit. Wie wir uns wehren können

Mentioned by

Michael Batnick

when discussing the impact of social media on information consumption.

Everybody in the Pool (EP.387)

Mentioned by

Kate Klonick

as one of

Tim Wu

's books and as part of a trilogy.

Lawfare Daily: Tim Wu on ‘The Age of Extraction’

Mentioned by

David Perell

while discussing the complexities of advertising and its role in democratizing information.

David Perell, Founder of Write of Passage: The Downfall of Mainstream Media

Mentioned by

Tim Wu

as the second book of a trilogy, about information, advertising, and propaganda.

Money Talks: Don't Be Evil-ish

Mentioned by

Tim Wu

as part of a trilogy of books that he has written.

Tim Wu: The Age of Extraction

Mentioned by

Eliza McLamb

that talks about the rise of social media companies and how they traffic in our attention.

The Economy of Outrage

Mentioned by the speaker in the introduction as exploring the business models of firms that mass capture attention for resale to advertisers.

Tim Wu and Madeleine Brand | The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads

Authored by

Tim Wu

, discussing the history and impact of attention harvesting.

CM 065: Tim Wu on Reclaiming Our Attention

Mentioned by

Ivan Mesa

as a book discussing attention as the currency of our age.

Are We Scrolling Ourselves to Death? (Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa)

Recommended by

Sridhar Ramaswamy

as a fascinating read on advertising and media.

Sridhar Ramaswamy on Google, Search, and Neeva

Mentioned by

Andrew Keen

as one of

Tim Wu

's books.

Episode 2244: Tim Wu on how to decentralize capitalism

Mentioned by

Tim Wu

as the second book of his trilogy, about information, advertising and propaganda.

Slate Money | Money Talks: Don't Be Evil-ish

Mentioned by

Tim Wu

as his book about information, advertising, and propaganda.

Slate Money | Money Talks: Don't Be Evil-ish

Mentioned by

John Tyson

when discussing the importance of attention in the modern world.

The Delusion Of Distraction

Mentioned by

Brian McCullough

while discussing the influence of marketers on consumers.

The State of Amazon With Jason Del Rey

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