1005 ATTENTION, PLEASE!!!

thinkfuture: technology, philosophy and the future

Be A Better YOU with AI: Join The Community: https://10xyou.us Get AIDAILY every weekday. Subscribe at https://aidaily.us --- In today's episode, Chris delves into the concept of the attention-based economy, highlighting how attention has become the primary currency in our digital age. He emphasizes that while attention is not the only value, it has become the initial value—essentially the "table stakes" for any engagement or relationship, whether personal or commercial. Chris discusses how traditional drivers of engagement, like quality and customer service, have taken a backseat to the pursuit of attention. In today's social media-driven environment, gaining attention is crucial because being invisible means being irrelevant. This has led to increasingly outrageous behavior as individuals and companies compete for visibility. Drawing on examples from science fiction, Chris warns of the potential for extreme measures to capture attention, likening it to dystopian scenarios where sports and entertainment turn into blood sports. He questions the impact of this trend on humanity, pondering whether it makes us more or less human when we need to constantly shout to be heard. Chris criticizes tech companies for not doing enough to facilitate meaningful connections despite their vast data on user preferences and behaviors. He suggests that instead of focusing solely on profit through ad sales, tech companies could use their capabilities to connect people in ways that enhance humanity. He concludes by encouraging listeners to think about how we can use technology to foster genuine connections and improve the human experience, rather than just seeking attention.

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