We live in a attention economy
So first lets focus on what a economy is, "An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services". So how is our Attention is thing that can be monitized on?
Some observations I guess
When you really think about it, we as people without thinking about it spend a good amount of our valuable time on social media, where companies like meta have their most apps. Come to think of it, most of us have never ever paid a single penny on any of these sites to be on the platform. So why and how are these companies are one of the most biggest companies in the world?
On paper we are being sold the idea of "We connect the world" but what is being hidden is, we are the product.
I was scrolling Instagram few months ago, and suddenly I thought lets run a simple experiement, think of the last 5 reels you have watched. I could remember the previous one, but before that. POOFF I couldn't remember shit. Aint that crazyy!?
So as I was using the app, I could relate that this app is sorta designed to make me spend my most amount of time on it! and I came to this conclusition because of a certain game I was heavily addicted to called Balatro (It's a poker+rougelike game).
Everytime I refreshed the page, this is like the slot mechanic we have in casino's. But it's more crazy because our social aspect is a buff that's attached with this system.
Posting something simple as just a quote from a random scene from my favorite tv show (Mad Men) and watching people go crazy over my post in comments was a crazy feeling. and trust me I did this multiple times, and it felt good. But I started observing how my mind was getting kicks through this similar to getting those fire scores in balatro.
Engagement is addictive drug
The more I engaged, the more I craved that little hit in the balls. a like, a comment, a share. It's wild how something so small can hijack your brain. And before you know it, you're checking your phone every five minutes like a lab rat waiting for a pellet. The app learns what keeps you coming back, and it feeds it to you in just the right doses enough novelty, enough validation, enough emotion to keep you hooked but not full. That’s when I realized: in this economy, attention isn’t just valuable it’s everything. And we're giving it away for free, one fuggin scroll at a time.
Reclaiming Attention is Reclaiming Freedom
Cal Newport in Digital Minimalism talks about how our attention has become fragmented split into microseconds of stimulation. He says that constant lowquality engagement destroys our ability to focus deeply(ur shorts, reels, and constant twitter / x refresh), to be bored, and to reflect. What’s scary is that we didn’t consciously choose this trade. The convenience, the connection, the entertainment they all came at the hidden cost of our mental clarity. Newport argues that to live well, we must treat our attention like a scarce resource — to spend it only on things that align with our values, not on endless feeds designed to exploit our impulses.
Choosing Depth over Noise
When you unplug, even for a short while, something strange happens silence stops feeling awkward. You start thinking again, reading slowly, walking without music, or just existing without needing to “post” it. Newport calls this a return to “deep living.” It’s not about rejecting technology; it’s about using it with purpose. Once you begin curating what deserves your time conversations, books, projects, or real-world interactions you start noticing how shallow most digital noise really is. You realize that your attention isn’t just being stolen it’s being fuckin auctioned off mate. And every moment you reclaim is a small act of rebellion. Control waht you consume, take it in your own hands. It can be as small as, not letting algorithms design whatchu consume. Build systems that works for you.