The Attention Crisis: Real Problem or Just Another Panic?
Is our attention span really shrinking, or are we just engaging differently? Daniel Immerwahr reviews The Sirens’ Call by Chris Hayes and challenges the alarmist view of attention in the digital age.
In his compelling review of The Sirens’ Call by Chris Hayes, Daniel Immerwahr (The New Yorker) takes a deep dive into the ever-present anxiety over attention spans. Are we truly losing the ability to focus, or have we simply shifted what we focus on?
Historically, every new technology—from the pianoforte to the novel to television—has been blamed for eroding our ability to think deeply. Yet Immerwahr challenges the alarmist narrative, suggesting that while platforms like TikTok may encourage distraction, they also foster creativity and engagement. Meanwhile, long-form storytelling, from epic video games to multi-hour podcasts, is thriving.
"The media theorist Neil Verma describes the era of TikTok’s rise as beset by ‘obsession culture.’ Online media, by broadening the scope of possible interests, have given rise to an unabashedly nerdy intellectual style."
Hayes argues that "attention capitalism" is a modern form of exploitation, manipulating our impulses for profit. But Immerwahr counters that past generations worried about the same issues—perhaps the real fear is not about distraction, but about a loss of cultural authority.
Key Takeaways:
- Attention debates aren't new. Plato worried about writing weakening memory, and Thomas Jefferson feared novels would corrupt young minds.
- We’re still engaging deeply—just differently. Binge-watching, multi-hour podcasts, and complex gaming narratives prove that focus is far from dead.
- Maybe the crisis is about control, not attention. The real concern might be that traditional cultural gatekeepers are losing their grip on what people choose to focus on.
In an age of infinite media choices, the challenge may not be how we pay attention, but what we’re paying attention to—and who decides.
Daniel Immerwahr
