why we can't focus? beyond personal blame.
Do you ever feel like your attention span is shrinking by the day? It’s not just you—and it’s not just your phone. The attention crisis is a social and cultural phenomenon reshaping our lives.
You sit down at your desk, ready to tackle that critical task. You’ve even silenced your phone—no distractions today, you tell yourself. Five minutes in, you notice an email notification pop up. I’ll take a quick look. Thirty minutes later, you’re scrolling through a social media feed, reading comments on a post you don’t even remember why you clicked on. Your task? Forgotten. Your focus? Scattered. And the worst part? You blame yourself for it. But here’s the truth: it’s not just you. The modern world is designed to hijack your attention. This isn’t just an individual struggle; it’s a systemic issue deeply rooted in how our society operates. The question isn’t why you’re distracted—why is it so hard to stay focused in the first place?
The Scope of the Attention Crisis
The attention crisis refers to the widespread struggle to focus, a challenge fueled by distractions in our technology-driven world. It doesn’t just leave us feeling scattered—it impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. Individually, the inability to focus increases stress and anxiety. Tasks take longer, deadlines loom, and the constant pull of distractions creates a sense of overwhelm. Productivity suffers as we struggle to complete deep, meaningful work, leading to frustration and burnout. Even leisure feels fragmented; instead of relaxing, we often scroll aimlessly, leaving us feeling unfulfilled.
But the effects extend far beyond the individual. At a societal level, the attention crisis fuels polarization. When our attention is fragmented, we’re more susceptible to sensationalist headlines and algorithm-driven echo chambers, deepening divides and eroding meaningful dialogue. Creativity also takes a hit—true innovation and art require sustained focus, yet our culture often prioritizes speed and multitasking over depth and originality. Perhaps most concerning is the impact on empathy. In a world where our attention is constantly diverted, it becomes harder to connect with others. Conversations are interrupted by notifications, moments of stillness are rare, and the ability to deeply listen—whether to a friend or a differing perspective—starts to fade. This isn’t just about individuals being distracted; it’s about a cultural shift reshaping how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the world.
Bernard Stiegler: What happens to a society when its collective attention is commodified?
Bernard Stiegler is unquestionably the most prolific and influential contemporary French philosopher of technology. While his work has enjoyed a wide reception in the French-speaking world, his reception in English language scholarship could have been more extensive. I want to introduce some of his thoughts related to attention crises in a rough way. Bernard Stiegler views attention as a resource exploited by digital capitalism. The problem isn’t just individuals getting distracted; it’s how entire systems commodify our focus. He argues that attention is one of humanity’s most valuable resources—but it’s under attack. Think of your attention as a garden. In a healthy environment, you’d nurture it, planting ideas and allowing them to grow. But today, big tech and media act like relentless thieves, plucking the fruit of your focus before it ever has a chance to bloom. Stiegler believed this wasn’t just an accident of technology; it’s a feature of the systems we’ve built. Corporations and platforms profit by keeping you glued to your screens, fragmenting your attention for their gain. The result? It is not just a personal distraction but a cultural crisis where focus, creativity, and meaningful connection are becoming endangered.
It’s a Social and Cultural Issue: Attention Economies
According to Bernard Stiegler, the attention crisis isn’t just an unfortunate byproduct of modern life, it’s deeply rooted in the fabric of our economic and cultural systems. At the heart of this issue is the rise of what he calls attention economies. Social media platforms, streaming services, and digital advertising don’t just passively exist in our lives; they actively compete for and monetize our focus. Their algorithms are designed to capture our attention for as long as possible. They use techniques that exploit human psychology—like endless scrolling, notifications, and the irresistible pull of “likes” and “shares.”
This competition for our attention has profoundly reshaped cultural norms. Speed and multitasking have become virtues celebrated in workplaces, schools, and leisure activities. We’re told to do more in less time, to juggle multiple demands at once, and always to be connected. Reflection, deep thinking, and even boredom—once necessary ingredients for creativity and personal growth—are now considered luxuries or inefficiencies. As Stiegler put it, this constant acceleration reduces our ability to pause and honestly think, eroding the depth of our individual and collective experience.
The consequences are far-reaching. On a personal level, the fragmentation of attention exacerbates mental health issues. Constantly switching between tasks or stimuli drains cognitive resources, increases stress, and creates a pervasive sense of restlessness. Over time, this can lead to burnout, a state of emotional and mental exhaustion that’s now alarmingly common. But the problem doesn’t stop at individuals. Fragmented attention undermines our ability to form and maintain meaningful online and offline connections. Communities become less cohesive as soundbites replace conversations, and polarization thrives in echo chambers created by algorithmic feeds. Instead of fostering understanding and empathy, we see rising division and conflict—a societal drift toward isolation rather than collaboration. Therefore, I could say that this isn’t just a crisis of focus but also a crisis of care. When our attention is constantly commodified, we lose the capacity to care deeply about ourselves, others, and the world around us. It’s not just our minds that are affected; it’s our relationships, creativity, and humanity. The question we must ask, then, is not only how we can reclaim our attention but how we can restructure society to prioritize care, connection, and reflection over profit and speed.
Transition to Solutions: A Paradigm Shift
Despite the systemic roots of the attention crisis, there’s good news: solutions are always possible. This isn’t, however, about simply “trying harder” to focus or blaming yourself for getting distracted. The issue runs far more profound than willpower. Instead, we need to rethink our relationship with attention altogether. “Everyone knows what attention is” is one of the most popular quotes from William James and indeed the most famous statement about human attention, but it’s time to ask what attention is.
Attention isn’t just a skill to optimize; it’s a fundamental part of connecting to the world, others, and us. It’s the core of creating a meaningful world- constitute horizons – creative horizons for us. To address this crisis, we must look beyond individual fixes and consider collective action—reshaping our personal habits and the cultural and social structures that shape how we focus. As phenomenology has shown us, attention is not only a neural system in our brains – it’s the state of being in the world. French philosopher Merleau-Ponty argues, “The primary operation of attention is to create for itself a mental field that can be surveyed or dominated.” That means attention is not merely clarifying or focusing more but creating new articulations. Hence, attention is our active constative power to put new ideas, invent new objects, develop, and thematize our world again. As he puts it, attention- “the work of mind exists only in act.”
Reclaiming Our Focus: A New Approach to Attention
Evan Thompson, known for his work in the intersection of phenomenology, cognitive science, and Buddhist philosophy, views consciousness as an interdependent, dynamic process. This idea parallels the Buddhist concept of dependent origination, which teaches that all phenomena arise through a web of interrelated causes and conditions. The problem isn’t just about being distracted but about how we fundamentally understand and relate to attention. Philosopher Evan Thompson offers a fresh perspective, drawing on Buddhist philosophy and cognitive science to propose a deeper, more transformative approach to the attention crisis. This isn’t about “fixing” attention through sheer willpower or self-discipline. Instead, it’s about rethinking attention as a relational process—something we do, not something we have—and embracing its interconnected nature, as Merleau-Ponty has shown us.
From this perspective, attention is not an isolated skill but a way of engaging with the world that reflects our environments, habits, and values. The modern attention crisis, therefore, isn’t just an individual failing but a systemic issue shaped by our technologies' design, cultural norms prioritizing speed and multitasking, and a lack of alignment between our actions and what we truly value.
Thompson’s ideas encourage us to rethink how we approach attention, offering solutions that blend mindfulness, purpose, and systemic change.
1- Shift from Control to Observation
Rather than fighting distractions or blaming yourself for losing focus, Thompson’s philosophy suggests adopting an observation mindset. Practices like open-awareness meditation train you to notice distractions without judgment and gently redirect your focus to the present. For example, spend 10 minutes a day practicing mindfulness by simply sitting still and observing your breath. When your mind inevitably wanders, recognize it without frustration and bring your attention back. This practice strengthens focus, reduces stress, and promotes emotional resilience.
2- Recognize the Interconnected Nature of Attention
Thompson’s emphasis on interdependence highlights that our environment shapes our attention. Maintaining focus becomes nearly impossible if your surroundings are chaotic or filled with distractions. This insight calls for redesigning both personal and collective environments. At home, create focus zones—spaces free of screens and unnecessary noise. On a larger scale, it advocates for workplaces to prioritize deep work by minimizing interruptions and fostering creativity.
3- Align Attention with Purpose
One of Thompson’s most actionable ideas is aligning attention with what truly matters. He echoes the Buddhist principle that clarity and focus emerge naturally when we connect our actions with our values and sense of purpose. Start each day by reflecting on your priorities. Ask yourself: What matters most today? Write down one or two meaningful tasks and commit to focusing on them. Over time, this practice improves focus and brings a sense of fulfillment.
4- Adopt a “Middle Way” with Technology
Thompson’s interpretation of the Buddhist Middle Way offers a balanced approach to our relationship with technology. We can use technology mindfully rather than rejecting it outright or surrendering to its demands. Set boundaries, such as limiting notifications to essential apps or designating specific times for checking email and social media. Tools like Freedom or Focus@Will can help create distraction-free work sessions.
Practical Steps to Reclaim Your Attention
Here are some actionable strategies inspired by Thompson’s ideas:
Practice Open-Awareness Meditation: Spend 5–10 minutes daily sitting quietly and observing your breath. When your mind drifts, gently bring it back. Apps like Insight Timer or Calm offer guided meditations for beginners.
Create Intentional Spaces: Dedicate a part of your home or workspace as a distraction-free zone. Remove unnecessary clutter and silence non-essential notifications.
Reflect on Your Values: Take time each week to journal about what truly matters to you. Use these reflections to guide your daily actions and focus on meaningful activities.
Designate Digital-Free Time: Set aside specific hours in your day—such as during meals or the first hour after waking up—to step away from screens. Use this time for reading, walking, or connecting with loved ones.
Engage in Purposeful Activities: Identify activities that align with your values, whether pursuing a creative hobby, volunteering, or spending time with family. Attention flows naturally when we’re deeply connected to what we love.
Why This Matters?
The attention crisis isn’t just a personal issue—it’s a societal and cultural challenge that reflects how we’ve allowed technology, speed, and superficial engagement to dominate our lives. However, as Evan Thompson’s work reminds us, reclaiming our attention is possible. By integrating mindfulness, aligning our focus with purpose, and reshaping our environments, we can regain control of our attention and cultivate deeper connections with ourselves, others, and the world around us. The journey to reclaim attention isn’t about perfection but intention. With small, consistent steps, we can shift from a state of distraction to a state of mindful engagement, where our attention serves what truly matters.
Books:
Stiegler, B. (1994). Technics and time, 1: The fault of Epimetheus. Stanford University Press.
Stiegler, B. (2001). Technics and time, 2: Disorientation. Stanford University Press.
Stiegler, B. (2010). The technological society. Polity Press.
Stiegler, B. (2016). Pharmacology of desire: The impact of technology on consciousness. Polity Press.
Stiegler, B. (2008). What makes life worth living? Stanford University Press.
Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). Phenomenology of perception (C. Smith, Trans.). Routledge.
Thompson, E. (2014). Waking, dreaming, being: Self and consciousness in neuroscience, meditation, and philosophy. Columbia University Press.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.
Apps:
Insight Timer. (n.d.). Insight Timer: Meditation and sleep app.https://insighttimer.com
Focus@Will. (n.d.). Focus@Will: Music for focus and productivity.https://www.focusatwill.com
Journal Articles:
Anderson, B. (2011). There is no such thing as attention. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 1–8.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00246
Di Lollo, V. (2018). Attention is a sterile concept; iterative re-entry is a fertile substitute. Consciousness and Cognition, 64, 45–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2018.02.005
Hommel, B., & Colzato, L. S. (2015). Learning from history: The need for a synthetic approach to human cognition. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01435
Mole, C. (2011). Attention is cognitive unison: An essay in philosophical psychology. Oxford University Press.
Bradley, F. H. (1886). Is there any unique activity of attention? Mind, A Quarterly Review of Psychology and Philosophy, 43, 305–323.