Too much of everything.

There’s too much of everything today. People have lost control of their attention. Attention economy businesses are thriving, feeding us more and more content because we seem to want it, and more adds to their bottom line. It’s an infinite, non-stop scroll. We don’t get the moment to reflect, to ask ourselves, “Why am I still looking at this?”

On a traditional roller coaster, the ride ends, and you have a chance to decide if it’s worth getting back in line. Online, that moment of reflection is disappearing.

Remember The New York Times famous slogan: “All the news that’s fit to print.” On the internet, there’s no page size, no substantial cost. The cost of more is negligible. Perhaps that’s the real culprit. It’s too cheap to produce content, and since people have lost control of their attention, what’s easier than flooding us with endless cheap content?

In a world where our attention is the most valuable currency, the challenge lies in reclaiming control. It’s time to pause, think, and choose what truly deserves our attention. Otherwise, we’re just on an endless ride with no destination.

Steve Berry
Principal, Thought Merchants