Your Mind Is Being Fracked
21Digest
This episode of the Ezra Klein Show delves into the complex and often misunderstood concept of attention. Degram Bernet, a historian of science at Princeton University, argues that our attention is being "fracked" – a metaphor for how the contemporary attention economy exploits our mental resources for profit. Bernet traces the history of attention research, highlighting how early experiments focused on stimulus and response, laying the groundwork for the commodification of attention in the digital age. He contrasts this instrumentalized view of attention with more holistic approaches, such as those found in meditation and artistic expression. Bernet emphasizes the importance of reclaiming our attention from the forces that seek to control it, suggesting that we need to cultivate a more nuanced understanding of attention and its role in our lives. The episode concludes with a deep listening exercise, designed to help listeners experience different forms of attention and cultivate a deeper awareness of their own mental processes.
Outlines
Introduction
This Chapter introduces the topic of attention and how it is often discussed in a way that doesn't fully capture the complexity of the experience. Ezra Klein shares his personal struggles with attention and his desire to find a more nuanced understanding of it.
Fracking Our Attention
This Chapter introduces Degram Bernet, a historian of science, who uses the metaphor of "fracking" to describe how the contemporary attention economy exploits our mental resources. He explains how the analogy relates to the extraction of petroleum resources and how it applies to the way our attention is constantly bombarded with stimuli.
The Laboratory Study of Attention
This Chapter explores the history of attention research in laboratories, starting in the late 19th century. Bernet explains how scientists have sliced and diced attention into quantifiable units, often driven by the emerging advertising industry. He discusses the early experiments that focused on stimulus and response, and how this approach has shaped our understanding of attention.
Unholy Attention Experiments
This Chapter delves into some of the more ethically questionable attention experiments conducted in the past, particularly those involving military aviators and radar operators. Bernet highlights the ways in which these experiments sought to measure and manipulate attention for specific purposes, often at the expense of human well-being.
Beyond the Worker Model of Attention
This Chapter challenges the dominant view of attention as a resource that should be constantly controlled and directed. Bernet argues that this "worker model" of attention fails to account for the richness and complexity of human experience. He suggests that a more open and receptive form of attention is necessary for genuine connection and understanding.
Two Contrasting Views of Attention
This Chapter explores two contrasting theories of attention, highlighting the paradoxical nature of the concept. Bernet contrasts the view of attention as a catalyst for action with the view of attention as a form of waiting and openness to the world.
The Modern Construct of Attention
This Chapter examines the argument that our current understanding of attention is a relatively recent phenomenon, emerging in the late 19th century. Bernet discusses Jonathan Crowley's theory that the rise of attention as a concept is linked to the changing experience of personhood in modernity.
Moral Panic or Real Crisis?
This Chapter addresses the concern that our current anxieties about attention are simply another iteration of a perennial moral panic. Bernet acknowledges the validity of this critique but argues that the current situation is unique due to the unprecedented commodification of attention and the potential for human exploitation.
Creating a Positive Vision of Attention
This Chapter explores the challenge of creating a positive vision of attention, given the diversity of human experience and desires. Bernet draws on the concept of education as the "non-coercive rearranging of desire" and discusses the importance of cultivating a more nuanced understanding of what we truly want and how our desires can lead to flourishing.
Keywords
Attention
The ability to focus on a particular stimulus or task, often considered a valuable resource in the modern world. It can be influenced by various factors, including internal states, external stimuli, and cultural norms. The concept of attention has been studied extensively in psychology, neuroscience, and other fields, and it plays a crucial role in learning, memory, and decision-making.
Attention Economy
A term used to describe the economic system in which attention is a valuable commodity. In this economy, businesses and individuals compete for the attention of consumers, often using sophisticated techniques to capture and monetize it. The attention economy is characterized by the rise of digital platforms, social media, and advertising, which all rely on capturing and directing attention.
Fracking
A metaphor used to describe the exploitation of attention in the digital age. Just as fracking involves the extraction of petroleum resources from the earth, the attention economy involves the extraction of attention from individuals. This metaphor highlights the invasive and potentially harmful nature of the attention economy.
Meditation
A practice that involves focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity, often with the goal of achieving a state of mental clarity and calmness. Meditation has been practiced for centuries in various cultures and religions, and it is now widely recognized for its potential benefits for mental and physical health. It can help to improve focus, reduce stress, and promote emotional well-being.
School of Radical Attention
A grassroots artistic effort to create a curriculum around attention. Founded by Degram Bernet and others, the school offers workshops and classes that explore different forms of attention and encourage participants to cultivate a deeper awareness of their own mental processes. The school aims to foster a more intentional and mindful approach to attention in a world increasingly dominated by distractions.
Deep Listening
A practice that involves paying close attention to sound, often with the goal of experiencing it in a more profound and meaningful way. Deep listening can involve focusing on the nuances of sound, exploring its emotional impact, and connecting with the source of the sound. It is a form of attention that can be cultivated through various practices, including meditation, music listening, and sound art.
Sanctuary
A place or activity that provides refuge from the distractions and demands of the modern world. Sanctuaries can be physical spaces, such as gardens, libraries, or nature trails, or they can be activities that allow for focused attention, such as reading, writing, or creative pursuits. Sanctuaries are essential for cultivating a more intentional and mindful approach to attention.
Neoliberalism
A political and economic ideology that emphasizes free markets, deregulation, and individual responsibility. Neoliberalism has been criticized for its focus on economic growth at the expense of social justice and environmental sustainability. It has also been linked to the rise of the attention economy and the commodification of attention.
Human Flourishing
A state of well-being that encompasses physical, mental, and social aspects of life. It is often associated with concepts such as happiness, meaning, and purpose. The pursuit of human flourishing is a central concern in ethics, philosophy, and psychology, and it is increasingly recognized as a key goal of social and economic policy.
Dopamine Hit
A surge of the neurotransmitter dopamine, often associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. Dopamine hits are often triggered by activities that are considered enjoyable or rewarding, such as eating, sex, and social interaction. In the context of the attention economy, dopamine hits are often used to keep users engaged with digital platforms and social media.
Q&A
What is the "fracking" metaphor used to describe in the context of attention?
The "fracking" metaphor is used to describe how the contemporary attention economy exploits our mental resources for profit. Just as fracking involves the extraction of petroleum resources from the earth, the attention economy involves the extraction of attention from individuals. This metaphor highlights the invasive and potentially harmful nature of the attention economy.
How has the laboratory study of attention shaped our understanding of it?
The laboratory study of attention has shaped our understanding of it by focusing on stimulus and response, often driven by the emerging advertising industry. This approach has led to a view of attention as a quantifiable resource that can be manipulated and controlled, which has contributed to the commodification of attention in the digital age.
What are some of the ethical concerns surrounding attention experiments?
Some of the ethical concerns surrounding attention experiments include the potential for harm to participants, the use of attention for specific purposes that may not align with human well-being, and the potential for the results of these experiments to be used to manipulate and exploit individuals.
Why is the "worker model" of attention problematic?
The "worker model" of attention is problematic because it fails to account for the richness and complexity of human experience. It suggests that attention should be constantly controlled and directed, which can lead to a narrow and limited view of the world and our place in it.
What are two contrasting theories of attention discussed in the episode?
Two contrasting theories of attention discussed in the episode are: 1) Attention as a catalyst for action, which emphasizes the role of attention in triggering awareness and leading to action. 2) Attention as a form of waiting and openness to the world, which emphasizes the importance of receptivity and allowing for the unfolding of experience.
How does the concept of attention relate to the changing experience of personhood in modernity?
The concept of attention is linked to the changing experience of personhood in modernity because it emerged as a way of talking about the coherence of the human subject in a world that was becoming increasingly complex and fragmented. Attention became a way of asserting a sense of self and agency in a world that was often overwhelming and unpredictable.
Is the current concern about attention a moral panic or a real crisis?
While there is a valid critique that our current anxieties about attention are simply another iteration of a perennial moral panic, the current situation is unique due to the unprecedented commodification of attention and the potential for human exploitation. The attention economy is creating new forms of social and economic inequality, and it is essential to address these issues.
How can we create a positive vision of attention?
Creating a positive vision of attention requires a more nuanced understanding of what we truly want and how our desires can lead to flourishing. It involves cultivating a more intentional and mindful approach to attention, recognizing the importance of both focus and openness, and resisting the forces that seek to control and exploit our attention.
What is the purpose of the deep listening exercise?
The purpose of the deep listening exercise is to help listeners experience different forms of attention and cultivate a deeper awareness of their own mental processes. By listening to the same sound piece multiple times under different instructions, listeners can become more attuned to the nuances of sound, the way their attention shifts, and the impact of their mental state on their experience.
What are some examples of sanctuaries for attention?
Sanctuaries for attention can be physical spaces, such as gardens, libraries, or nature trails, or they can be activities that allow for focused attention, such as reading, writing, or creative pursuits. Sanctuaries are essential for cultivating a more intentional and mindful approach to attention.
Show Notes
The steady dings of notifications. The 40 tabs that greet you when you open your computer in the morning. The hundreds of unread emails, most of them spam, with subject lines pleading or screaming for you to click. Our attention is under assault these days, and most of us are familiar with the feeling that gives us — fractured, irritated, overwhelmed.
D. Graham Burnett calls the attention economy an example of “human fracking”: With our attention in shorter and shorter supply, companies are going to even greater lengths to extract this precious resource from us. And he argues that it’s now reached a point that calls for a kind of revolution. “This is creating conditions that are at odds with human flourishing. We know this,” he tells me. “And we need to mount new forms of resistance.”
Burnett is a professor of the history of science at Princeton University and is working on a book about the laboratory study of attention. He’s also a co-founder of the Strother School of Radical Attention, which is a kind of grass roots, artistic effort to create a curriculum for studying attention.
In this conversation, we talk about how the 20th-century study of attention laid the groundwork for today’s attention economy, the connection between changing ideas of attention and changing ideas of the self, how we even define attention (this episode is worth listening to for Burnett’s collection of beautiful metaphors alone), whether the concern over our shrinking attention spans is simply a moral panic, what it means to teach attention and more.
Mentioned:
“The Battle for Attention” by Nathan Heller
“Powerful Forces Are Fracking Our Attention. We Can Fight Back.” by D. Graham Burnett, Alyssa Loh and Peter Schmidt
Scenes of Attention edited by D. Graham Burnett and Justin E. H. Smith
Book Recommendations:
Addiction by Design by Natasha Dow Schüll
Objectivity by Lorraine Daston and Peter L. Galison
The Confidence-Man by Herman Melville
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin and Elias Isquith. Original music by Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero.
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Table of contents
United States
what was the music piece, I want to hear the whole thing.
one of your best episodes ever, Ezra!