#2648
Mentioned in 10 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

Mentioned in 10 episodes

Mentioned by
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Cal Newport
when discussing the evolution of internet content and drawing parallels to historical media transitions.
298 snips
Ep. 230: How Well Are You Living?
Mentioned by
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Michael Batnick
when discussing the impact of social media on information consumption.
25 snips
Everybody in the Pool (EP.387)
Mentioned by
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David Perell
while discussing the complexities of advertising and its role in democratizing information.
18 snips
David Perell, Founder of Write of Passage: The Downfall of Mainstream Media
Mentioned by
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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
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Tim Wu
, discussing the history and impact of attention harvesting.
CM 065: Tim Wu on Reclaiming Our Attention
Recommended by
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Sridhar Ramaswamy
as a fascinating read on advertising and media.
Sridhar Ramaswamy on Google, Search, and Neeva
Mentioned by
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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
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Andrew Keen
as one of
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Tim Wu
's books.
Episode 2244: Tim Wu on how to decentralize capitalism
Mentioned by
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John Tyson
when discussing the importance of attention in the modern world.
The Delusion Of Distraction
Mentioned by
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Brian McCullough
while discussing the influence of marketers on consumers.
The State of Amazon With Jason Del Rey
Mentioned by
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Naima Reza
when discussing
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Tim Wu
's prior work.
Biden’s Antitrust Advisor Left the White House. Here’s His Exit Interview
Mentioned by
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Chris Hayes
in relation to the concept of attention.
Why Chris Hayes thinks we're all famous now

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