Then & Now: Philosophy, History & Politics How Big Tech is Ruining Your Attention
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Dec 7, 2023 Explore the negative impact of constant advertising, tricks used to grab attention, and resulting stress. Dive into the concept of attention and its history, covering its dimensions and limited nature. Discover the historical use of attention-grabbing techniques and their impact on society. Uncover the strategies used by media and technology to capture our attention and the negative consequences. Examine the effects of technology and constant distractions on our attention and how our brains are wired to seek more stimuli.
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Attention as Focus
- Attention is the focus of our minds, choosing one train of thought over others.
- It's a limited resource, we 'pay' attention with our time, and it can be controlled or captured.
Sensationalism in Early Newspapers
- Early newspapers like the New York Sun used sensational stories to capture attention.
- They focused on murder, scandal, and other emotionally charged events to gain readership.
Patent Medicine Fraud
- Patent medicine salesmen used misleading claims and targeted people's fears to sell their products.
- This led to the first Food and Drugs Act in 1906, banning misleading claims.