“I’m aware of the irony,” I say. To speak or write online is, of course, to get attention. But a friend of the show, philosopher Alexander Bard, makes a distinction between sensationalism and attentionalism. The former is mere attention-seeking, which is generally high in calories but low in nutrients. The latter is more about delivering valuable, even durable information that can improve lives or form the basis of renewal, or even new civilizations. The idea, roughly, is that in the industrial age, it was more important to acquire capital. In the digital age, it’s more important to earn attention, especially if you can offer constructive information or timeless wisdom. I hope that, in getting your attention, I provide depth rather than distraction.
Transcript
It seems ubiquitous. Look North, South, East, or West. You’ll see layers of useless distractions. Those distractions compose our two-dimensional reality: Trump said something offensive. Krispy Kreme has hot doughnuts now. Sydney Sweeney has great jeans. Did Ilhan Omar marry her brother? Candace Owens has gone batshit crazy.
