Chris Hayes

So compelled attention is part of our deepest biological neurological wiring. It's the involuntary reaction if you are at a cocktail party and a waiter drops a tray of glasses. You can't help it. You cannot control whether you're going to pay attention to that. It's often the case with an explosion or the siren that is on top of an ambulance or a cop car as it goes down the street.

So compelled attention is part of our deepest biological neurological wiring. It's the involuntary reaction if you are at a cocktail party and a waiter drops a tray of glasses. You can't help it. You cannot control whether you're going to pay attention to that. It's often the case with an explosion or the siren that is on top of an ambulance or a cop car as it goes down the street.

That involuntary attention is the part of our neurological wiring in which our attention is compelled independent of our volition and will as a kind of almost biological fact due to the fact that we needed to be alert to danger, basically. And then there's voluntary attention, which is when we, using the conscious will, flash the beam of thought where we want it to go.

That involuntary attention is the part of our neurological wiring in which our attention is compelled independent of our volition and will as a kind of almost biological fact due to the fact that we needed to be alert to danger, basically. And then there's voluntary attention, which is when we, using the conscious will, flash the beam of thought where we want it to go.

That involuntary attention is the part of our neurological wiring in which our attention is compelled independent of our volition and will as a kind of almost biological fact due to the fact that we needed to be alert to danger, basically. And then there's voluntary attention, which is when we, using the conscious will, flash the beam of thought where we want it to go.

Correct.

Correct.

Correct.

Well, I mean, I think that, look, involuntary attention, I think, is probably necessary for the survival of species. So in that sense, it's fundamental. And I wouldn't say it's worse. The problem is, so let's say you're reading the book. You've made this volitional decision. And as you're reading the book, the little haptic buzz of a notification in your phone goes off.

Well, I mean, I think that, look, involuntary attention, I think, is probably necessary for the survival of species. So in that sense, it's fundamental. And I wouldn't say it's worse. The problem is, so let's say you're reading the book. You've made this volitional decision. And as you're reading the book, the little haptic buzz of a notification in your phone goes off.

Well, I mean, I think that, look, involuntary attention, I think, is probably necessary for the survival of species. So in that sense, it's fundamental. And I wouldn't say it's worse. The problem is, so let's say you're reading the book. You've made this volitional decision. And as you're reading the book, the little haptic buzz of a notification in your phone goes off.

Now, you notice that because it's designed to use the deep circuitry of compelled attention to force your attention onto the physical sensation of the phone.

Now, you notice that because it's designed to use the deep circuitry of compelled attention to force your attention onto the physical sensation of the phone.

Now, you notice that because it's designed to use the deep circuitry of compelled attention to force your attention onto the physical sensation of the phone.

That is a perfect example of the one-way ratchet of what I call attention capitalism, is that the more important attention gets and the more that people, corporations and platforms have sort of optimized for it competitively, the more they will try to use the tactics of compelled attention to get our attention. rather than to get the part of us that's volitional attention.

That is a perfect example of the one-way ratchet of what I call attention capitalism, is that the more important attention gets and the more that people, corporations and platforms have sort of optimized for it competitively, the more they will try to use the tactics of compelled attention to get our attention. rather than to get the part of us that's volitional attention.

That is a perfect example of the one-way ratchet of what I call attention capitalism, is that the more important attention gets and the more that people, corporations and platforms have sort of optimized for it competitively, the more they will try to use the tactics of compelled attention to get our attention. rather than to get the part of us that's volitional attention.

Now, of course, you still have human will, and in that moment, you're going to decide, am I going to take my phone out to see what the notification was or not? But that little moment, that little interruption... That's pretty new at scale. I think it's totally new at scale. And it's also just absolutely endemic to modern life.

Now, of course, you still have human will, and in that moment, you're going to decide, am I going to take my phone out to see what the notification was or not? But that little moment, that little interruption... That's pretty new at scale. I think it's totally new at scale. And it's also just absolutely endemic to modern life.

Now, of course, you still have human will, and in that moment, you're going to decide, am I going to take my phone out to see what the notification was or not? But that little moment, that little interruption... That's pretty new at scale. I think it's totally new at scale. And it's also just absolutely endemic to modern life.