Kill Them With Silence
The Attention Economy - Thoughts
We’ve created a social hierarchy based on attention. In a way, that has always been the case, but it was based on actually doing something of note, even if it was only throwing a ball really, really fast.
Our current social hierarchy distributes attention differently. It is based on volume and brashness, shock and stupidity. This is why I don’t think yelling and wailing about every dog whistle is a good idea. It gives attention, and therefore elevates, people who would otherwise be largely ignored. Our focus feeds them.
Outrage is an attention strategy these days, and is used skillfully by several political candidates right now. And while their fans - because that’s what they are - delight in offending those Student Council types, that can only happen if we wring our hands and lament about the Fall of Man.
A Yawning Victory
I propose another tactic: the yawn.
“Oh brother, here he go…
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