Let's Appreciate Who's Getting Rich Off Your Attention?
Sep 24, 2025
Dive into how concentrated ownership and automation are reshaping democracy and our media landscape. Learn about the digital trends that blur online identities and the impact of bots on belief formation. Discover the history of media consolidation and how powerful figures like Elon Musk manipulate narratives. Explore the profit-driven nature of attention and the growing influence of sensationalism. Finally, understand how our information ecosystem's structure affects everything from political polarization to truth itself.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Attention Economy Warps Understanding
- The convergence of endless information and a rage-bait economy splinters how we understand the world and each other.
- Bots and algorithms hijack our ladder of inference, nudging polarized beliefs before we realize it.
Information As A Private Commodity
- Media consolidation and financialization turned information from a public good into a private commodity.
- Concentrated ownership makes attention a tradable asset and reduces space for alternative voices.
Ellison's Potential Media Empire
- Kyla Scanlon highlights Larry Ellison's moves to combine major outlets and platforms into one empire.
- She warns this could concentrate control over streaming, broadcast, cable news, and social media.