The Decline of Attention Spans

Research indicates that attention spans have significantly declined over the past two decades, with average focus decreasing from approximately two and a half minutes in 2003 to only 47 seconds by 2020. This trend corresponds with the rise of technology that demands constant attention, such as emails, smartphones, and social media, which have become integral to our daily lives. Many individuals report social media as their primary source of distraction, exacerbating the problem as algorithms aim to capture their attention through more sophisticated notifications. As such, the constant task-switching and presence of distractions have contributed to a cultural phenomenon labeled as 'brain rot,' indicating a widespread concern about the deterioration of our ability to concentrate effectively on tasks.