We have been losing our abilities to focus & retain attention for many centuries, points out Johann Hari in his book Stolen Focus. And, it is clear, we have become alarmingly distracted in the last few decades.
Why worry about losing our ability to pay attention? Because, by not being able to focus, we cannot solve our personal & collective challenges effectively.
Besides the usual suspects like the rise of technology & gadgets, the book analyses other causes like
* the general increase in the pace of life
* widespread task switching & multi-tasking
* a bewildering increase in external stimuli
* loss of ability to think about & indulge in personally meaningful activities
* collapse of sustained reading (esp. fiction)
* disruption of mind-wandering
* businesses which thrive on tracking & manipulating us
* the limitations of individual efforts to resist distractions (our environment overwhelms us)
* surge in stress
* deteriorating diets & rising pollution
* rise of ADHD
* confined living
That’s quite comprehensive. And worrying. Because that seems to imply we are doomed to distracted & unsatisfactory lives. A few lucky individuals may figure out how to remain unscathed. But, possibly, the majority of us are falling prey. The situation looks hopeless. Unless a revolution happens. But, an effective revolution is usually a random accident and cannot be designed. And, a planned revolution can have unintended consequences.
Going a little deeper and asking why, the author points to the tipping point when these trends accelerated 200 years back, when the idea of relentless economic growth was born after the industrial revolution. Growth is now considered a panacea for all problems, from poverty & inequalities to climate change. But, is the net impact of chasing faster growth really positive? Do the costs of growth outweigh benefits? Should we opt for slower growth or even a steady-state economy?
Unfortunately, these are complex questions to which we don’t have ready answers. Even if we have some answers, there is no universal agreement. Even if we manage a universal consensus, executing such social-political changes globally is almost impossible. Even if we try, it may take decades or centuries, by which time it may not be useful at all.
Issues like climate change, poverty and inequalities won’t be addressed effectively, as we are collectively getting more distracted, losing our ability to focus, and are paying inadequate attention to such challenges that need collective effort.
So, can we really reclaim our focus?
Many may pick up books like these. Only some may pay attention. A few may take steps to reclaim focus. Very few will succeed.
