Too poor to pay attention and still not rich enough to create?
Our focus is a limited resource that must be used properly and should not be lost on any of us. We must be deliberate in our focus, giving our best efforts to the things that really matter.
The digital age has completely transformed the way we interact with each other.
The internet has opened up a world of possibilities for communication, but it has also created a new kind of problem: the problem of being too broke to give attention but not rich enough to create.
In today's essay, by "brokenness" and "richness," I do not mean monetary poverty or wealth, but rather the fact that we are not living up to our full potential.
It's easy to feel overloaded by the wealth of data and media at our fingertips in the modern era. Emails, notifications, and social media updates all clamour for our attention at once.
We live in a world where interruptions are the norm, making concentrating on even the simplest tasks difficult.
However, we are also supposed to be actively involved in and connected to the world around us at all times. We have to answer messages, read the news, and start conversations with people we don't know.
We're expected to be constantly available, but our lives aren't good enough to meet this need.
Because of this, we now have a dilemma. Unfortunately, we are too busy to focus on what truly matters. Because of this, we have less time to connect with each other and enjoy the beauty of our natural surroundings.
We fail to take the time to make memorable experiences because we are so preoccupied with meeting the needs of the digital world.
The solution isn't to stop using technology altogether but to be more selective about how we spend our time and energy online.
Instead of wasting time trying to stay up with the current trends, we should be mindful of how much time we spend on our phones and computers and use that time for things that truly bring us joy.
We must choose where to put our attention and give our full attention to the things that are worth our time and energy.
But we need to be honest about what we can do and use our time and energy to make original work instead of passively consuming it.
Most of the time, the most important things are the simplest and most basic ones, so we should consider how we spend our time and energy.
Remembering that we can have fulfilling lives without being permanently plugged into the internet will help us focus on the people and experiences that matter.
Attention residue: There are ways to minimise the destruction caused by Attention Residue. Three I’ve found particularly helpful:
time block
embrace boredom
close the loop
Stop being dumb: There’s a direct link between people who go through life stuck, dependent and unfree and those who blame others for their misfortunes.
It’s all about perspective.
Those who know me know that I enjoy a good films and that I have recently taken a course to help me better analyse and comprehend films; this video is also a masterclass. It also analyses one of my favourite movies.
Empire of Light, Sam Mendes's most recent movie, was another recent movie I liked. While Olivia and Michael's relationship doesn't transition well to the big screen, the film does an excellent job of exploring other topics, such as racism in the 1980s.
Here are a few good quotes from the cinema:
“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” -The Godfather Part II, 1974
“You had me at ‘hello.’" -Jerry Maguire, 1996
“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” -Dirty Dancing, 1987
“May the Force be with you.” -Star Wars, 1977
“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” -Dead Poets Society, 1989
“My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.” -Forrest Gump, 199
