Recode Daily

Why we can't pay attention anymore

Listen Later

Sean Illing talks with the author Johann Hari about his new book Stolen Focus, which explores what's happening — and what's already happened — to our attention. They discuss how exactly Big Tech "stole" our ability to focus, what many leading scientists say about how we are psychologically and physiologically changed by the powerful new draws on our attention, and whether or not we need an "attention rebellion" to fight back against the tech giants, whose business models depend on us getting easily distracted.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Johann Hari (@johannhari101), author

References: 

  • Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention — and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari (Crown; 2022)
  • Companion site with audio excerpts from interviews with experts and additional endnotes: stolenfocusbook.com
  • Getting Ahead of ADHD by Joel T. Nigg (Guilford; 2017)
  • "Capitalism is turning us into addicts" by Sean Illing, interviewing David T, Courtwright (Vox; Apr. 18, 2020)
  • Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man by Marshall McLuhan (1964)
  • "Enhancing attention through training" by Michael Posner, et al. (Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences (4); 2015)
  • "Facebook and texting made me do it: Media-induced task-switching while studying" by Larry Rosen, et al. (Computers in Human Behavior, 29 (3); 2013)
  • "Accelerating dynamics of collective attention" by Sune Lehmann, et al. (Nature Communications; 2019)

     

    Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

    Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

    Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

    This episode was made by: 

    • Producer: Erikk Geannikis
    • Editor: Amy Drozdowska
    • Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
    • Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      Recode DailyBy Recode
      • 4.4
      • 4.4
      • 4.4
      • 4.4
      • 4.4

      4.4

      1,263 ratings

      More shows like Recode Daily

      View all
      The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

      The New Yorker Radio Hour

      6,847 Listeners

      On the Media by WNYC Studios

      On the Media

      9,244 Listeners

      The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

      The Political Scene | The New Yorker

      4,093 Listeners

      On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti by WBUR

      On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

      4,014 Listeners

      Explain It to Me by Vox

      Explain It to Me

      7,855 Listeners

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

      The Gray Area with Sean Illing

      10,706 Listeners

      Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

      Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

      3,542 Listeners

      Pivot by New York Magazine

      Pivot

      9,777 Listeners

      Recode Replay by Recode

      Recode Replay

      25 Listeners

      Channels with Peter Kafka by Vox Media Podcast Network

      Channels with Peter Kafka

      556 Listeners

      How I Built This with Guy Raz by Guy Raz | Wondery

      How I Built This with Guy Raz

      30,207 Listeners

      Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

      Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

      7,295 Listeners

      Your Undivided Attention by The Center for Humane Technology, Tristan Harris, Daniel Barcay and Aza Raskin

      Your Undivided Attention

      1,621 Listeners

      Land of the Giants by Vulture

      Land of the Giants

      2,162 Listeners

      Strict Scrutiny by Strict Scrutiny

      Strict Scrutiny

      5,840 Listeners

      Hard Fork by The New York Times

      Hard Fork

      5,553 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      16,419 Listeners

      The Interview by The New York Times

      The Interview

      1,624 Listeners