Comments on: What the Heck Happened to our Attention Spans?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:15:58 +0000

…and the first thing I did was skim the article…

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:47:30 +0000

I’m updating and learning new skills to become a self-employed web designer/developer, and there is so so so much I need to learn, and keep abreast of. I’ve developed the habit of skim-reading through dozens and dozens of feeds, trying to assimilate as much relevant information as possible, as efficiently as possible, and bookmarking in-depth articles to return to when that topic might become more immediately relevant to me. I don’t have to waste time by refreshing my memory. With skim reading I try to get the gist of concepts and the buzz of new products, and build up a picture of the overall landscape of knowledge I need. By skim reading I can also get a large number of opinions on something, and note what’s being talked about a lot, and hence arrive at a more normative, wholistic picture of how the industry is than what I might get from a few more linear texts read at length. We are moving towards multiple narratives, and there is no one truth, or solution, that will give us the most success in life. We need to synthesise as much data as possible ourselves.

Of course there are times when I need to go in-depth. But I see skim reading as akin to flying over a landscape, checking out the entire topology of the terrain, and then swooping down only when I see something tasty, to give it my full attention.

Of course, as you’ve pointed out, this Hungry! Hungry! approach can lead to a jerky, driven, adrenaline-dependent type of consciousness, where we start to panic just slightly whenever we’re “wasting time” by lingering in one place. This is symptomatic of modern life, and unchecked, can have really negative consequences on a person’s mental or physical state. (I got Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for a few years after existing like this for years.) So personally, although I need to apply the short attention spans for getting ahead and assimilating as much knowledge as possible, I also find I have to consciously practise slowing down, and concentrating deeply. Meditation is a very good refresher for this, but so are lots of activities or anti-activities :) I suppose coding for me is a type of deep concentration, that can easily take up the major portion of a day in one go, but it’s also got my mind on high alert the whole time, trying to be as efficient as possible, so it’s not the best antidote for the Hungry! Hungry! Go go go! type thinking.

By: Stevie D

Stevie D — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:14:58 +0000

I enjoyed reading the full article and the 44 comments made so far :-)

By: John

John — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:50:17 +0000

It is not just the internet that is doing this. Also, computers in general, the T.V., mobile phones, PDAs etc. Mobiles are my pet peeve. 10 or 20 years ago if you wanted to go out with some friends you would plan it a few days in advance and you would all have to turn up because you would have no way of letting them know if you didn’t want to. Now people organise things half an hour or an hour before hand. Even if you have previously said you will go somewhere it is acceptable to just message and say you aren’t coming.

By: Viperfish

Viperfish — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:47:21 +0000

This is not a phenomenon brought on by the internet. I mean, who picks up the weekend paper and reads every word? Don’t we all flick the pages, briefly skimming the headlines until something catches our eye? The difference is that we might spend an hour reading the paper but we sit at our computer screens “flicking the pages” all day long.

By: fleurdelisgrrl

fleurdelisgrrl — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:16:59 +0000

I need to go read a book as penance. Father forgive me, I skimmed an article about skimming. (sob-sob-sob)

By: sitehatchery

sitehatchery — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:41:12 +0000

Interesting that we will skip the points in an article and then proceed to read every user comment.

By: vegas web design

vegas web design — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:36:06 +0000

Sorry I just scanned through your article, but I definitely agree with everyone having short attention spans. Plus everyone is in a hurry.

By: DelvarWorld

DelvarWorld — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:22:30 +0000

The reason is that content is so abundant now. Anyone can make it, and it’s our own power and undoing. Because anyone can and does put information on the web, the amount of bad content (people just trying to make money, people without certifications, people who don’t know how to make good content, crap) has increased so much. We skim because there’s so much crap out there, and there’s probably someone who can present it better / more succinctly.

By: ADHD

ADHD — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:49:47 +0000

Well I was gonna read the article but then I saw a cool looking ad on the site and got distracted! :-)

I think it all comes down to the human desire not to miss out on anything. Why stand still and soak in the moment when there are billions of other articles, videos, songs, blogs, etc. beckoning!

Interesting in the movie I am Legend that when the clamoring media and busy-ness of life was silenced by the tragedy - it was then that people could hear the voice of God - the still small voice - I need that more