#2533

Mentioned in 11 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

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Brian McCullough

Jared Henderson

Michael Batnick

Mentioned in 11 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

Michael Batnick

when discussing the impact of social media on information consumption.

Everybody in the Pool (EP.387)

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

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

Recommended by

Sridhar Ramaswamy

as a fascinating read on advertising and media.

Sridhar Ramaswamy on Google, Search, and Neeva

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)

Mentioned by

Andrew Keen

as one of

Tim Wu

's books.

Episode 2244: Tim Wu on how to decentralize capitalism

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

Mentioned by

Naima Reza

when discussing

Tim Wu

's prior work.

Biden’s Antitrust Advisor Left the White House. Here’s His Exit Interview

Mentioned by

Chris Hayes

in relation to the concept of attention.

Why Chris Hayes thinks we're all famous now

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