Episode Description

We talk a lot about distraction and phone addiction.But what if that is not the real problem?

In this episode, I share a moment from a late train ride that changed how I think about attention.

What I observed was not people “using” their phones, but something quieter and more unsettling: attention being passively handed over to algorithms.

This conversation is about algorithm-led attention, absence rather than addiction, and why noticing this pattern might be the most important first step toward reclaiming focus.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

A late train ride that triggered a shift in how attention was perceived

Why passive scrolling is different from intentional phone use

The idea of algorithm-led attention and why it matters

Why this feels less like addiction and more like absence

How this pattern quietly becomes the default mode

Why awareness, not willpower, is the real starting point

Episode Timestamps

00:00 to 01:40 The train ride and choosing not to reach for the phone

01:40 to 03:50 Observing passive scrolling in real time

03:50 to 06:30 Absence versus addiction

06:30 to 08:45 Noticing the pattern in yourself

08:45 to end Awareness as the only real starting point

About Bring Back Focus

Bring Back Focus is a podcast about attention, clarity, and learning to think deeply again in a world designed to keep you distracted.

If this episode resonated, you’ll find deeper essays and reflections at bringbackfocus.substack.com

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