STOLEN FOCUS Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again

In this thoughtful essay on our shortening attention spans, British writer Johann Hari shares what he learned from interviewing tech and behavioral science experts around the world. He's a personable writer, vulnerable and humble, and this comes across in his appealing performance. Sounding like someone emerging from a natural disaster, he gently describes how a three-month media fast restored his peace of mind by protecting him from the pernicious enticements big tech builds into its smartphones and media platforms. He says our brains are not wired to resist these algorithms, so we become addicted to our screens rather than meeting the world--and ourselves--more directly. The presentation contains strategies for addressing the personal and social obstacles to more fulfilling ways of being and relating. T.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2022]