"Attention is something that many Americans seem to regard as an inherent virtue whose purity they can try to protect or allow to be despoiled. A diminished attention span is a sign of personal weakness, or even intellectual debasement."
"Perhaps many people feel bad about their attention span not because it's too short, but because they sense that they're running themselves ragged by giving away a precious commodity for far less than it's worth."
"According to neurologists, humans have many types of attention. 'Serial' attention might be used to monitor gadgets as they move past on a factory assembly line, whereas the ability to focus on a face while ignoring noise around it is 'spatial' attention."
"Today's laments about deteriorating focus, though, generally refer to 'sustained' attention, which is when one homes in on a single item for a long period."
Many individuals struggle with attention in a distraction-heavy environment, often blaming themselves for diminished focus. The internet and social media contribute to this issue, leading to feelings of inadequacy regarding attention spans. However, attention is a commodity that is harvested by major companies, suggesting that the problem lies not in personal weakness but in the exploitation of attention. Neurologists identify various types of attention, with sustained attention being particularly challenged by modern distractions.
Read at The Atlantic
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