OT: Smart Phones, Diminishing Attention Spans and the Lost Art of Reading.

[XXtwindad]

Echappist's recent crossword puzzle thread and my recent inability to finish a few "must read" books (I used to read a couple of books per month) hinted at an uncomfortable truth: I can't concentrate like I used to. I'm not alone, of course. I believe we're in the midst of an attention-deficit epidemic. It's even more worrisome for my daughters generation.

An interesting article here: https://dailytimes.com.pk/352305/sma...tion-span/amp/

Has anyone taken steps to "reclaim" their attention span? What does that look like?

[colker]

i am on a can´t stand social media phase and have been reading constantly. Reading is an eccentric´s habit and will ever be in my view. Even in you daughter´s generation there will be readers. You read a book when reality is so dull and opressing that book pages become your best friends. It won´t change. No one in my family reads. I started as a kid on my own and go back to reading whenever i am frustrated.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by colker

i am on a can´t stand social media phase and have been reading constantly. Reading is an eccentric´s habit and will ever be in my view. Even in you daughter´s generation there will be readers. You read a book when reality is so dull and opressing that book pages become your best friends. It won´t change. No one in my family reads. I started as a kid on my own and go back to reading whenever i am frustrated.

And the irony (which caused me to spit out my water) is you are on a form of social media complaining that you can’t stand social media. Personally, your post would been more digestible in a simple instagram stories meme. Irony and meta are so easily conveyed in the form of instagram memes.

[jimcav]

Yes, I used to read much more. About 5 years ago, as I neared leaving active duty, I thought about how I grew up and used to get information. As a kid (prob, 10-18) I had subscriptions to 'popular science', 'popular mechanics', and later 'fine wood working' and 'road and track'. I also read the local paper once my dad was done with it. I read at least 3 books a week from 3rd grade until well into college. At age 8 I only had 3 channels on a 13", black and white TV. Fast forward to 2015, and I realized that apart from professional reading, I didn't read much anymore. I got a New Yorker subscription, ordered the local paper, and got a library card. I still get more info from the internet, but I also use what I read to drive some of my internet searches. I do really enjoy this forum as I routinely either learn something new from a post, or I get pointed to a new topic or article to read more on a subject I would not have organically discovered. I look forward to reading any other actual answers on how to better foster attention and curiosity in an age overwhelmingly subjected to slogans, sound-bites, and often cursory, short term coverage of any given topic before racing to the next.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by joosttx

And the irony (which caused me to spit out my water) is you are on a form of social media complaining that you can’t stand social media. Personally, your post would been more digestible in a simple instagram stories meme. Irony and meta are so easily conveyed in the form of instagram memes.

Not exactly. See the response immediately following yours. I view this more as a "discussion forum" where interesting ideas can be exchanged. Rather than say, posting a pic of your morning bowl of oatmeal or your cat.

[d_douglas]

I’m a victim of this thanks to the Paceline. (Not joking).

Signing off to read “All the Light We Cannot See” - 1/2 though and it’s taken me six months - embarrassing!!

[FlashUNC]

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Not exactly. See the response immediately following yours. I view this more as a "discussion forum" where interesting ideas can be exchanged. Rather than say, posting a pic of your morning bowl of oatmeal or your cat.

I now get scolded by my wife, routinely, because I will put my phone down for hours and not check texts. I will answer a CALL, if not driving, or in my truck, which has my phone paired; and i have my phone on the bars when I mtn bike. But I dislike this "instant" text-response culture. If it is important, call me, but I have no difficulty NOT pulling out my phone every 5 minutes to unlock it and see what I've missed. With the increase in spam calls, I now only answer numbers I know. The others I let go to VM, and I feel no special obligation to check them right away. IF your work or responsibilities allow it, I'd recommend trying to "schedule" times you check email, VM, texts, rather than being constantly tied to it.

[cash05458]

I think it's not just smart phones, but computers in general and those sorta habits. Jumping around for articles, small bite sized short things etc... Or even t.v. and images in general as humans are so visually oriented and all this just stuff ramps that up. It is what it is I guess. I don't have a cell or smart phone and never have. Just don't have a need for one. But even the computer changes things attention wise I think. I have always been a big reader and still am. But I do notice it taking more effort to focus on dense things like hardcore philosophy stuff or more serious novels. Currently reading The Great Transformation by Polanyi, some Bentham stuff on his Panopticon ideas and a good novel by the Russian, Bely, The Silver Dove...after a few hours of concentration I feel exhausted...whereas when younger I would whip thru that serious stuff in much longer sessions and not feel tired at all. It does seem to take more effort/work to focus. Maybe too that's a thing with getting older as well or a collision of that with these new ways of attention...

[5oakterrace]

What does it look like to "reclaim your attention span?"

I canceled facebook a few years ago. Too addictive for me and feeds that part of my self that likes attention, affirmation, and wants to be connected in however a superficial way. I am not on any social media. I rarely carry my phone - maybe one day a week because I feel I may need it. Other communications can wait. I do not deal with the home computer as well.

I lead a few meditation sessions every week. Very helpful.
I train on rollers - often in silence but I will listen to public radio or a podcast with long (over an hour) slow sessions. I consider rollers to be a form of meditation. I entered an event in the late spring which keeps me at the training.

I think it takes a lot of awareness to see what is happening to us. Given the way our culture is headed, I see myself as something of an odd duck - and that is fine by me.

[Peter P.]

I agree with the OP's comments.

I spent a lot of time in airports in January and was boggled at the number of people staring at their phones. Pre-smartphone days, I don't remember that many people in airports reading books. Same held true while in the air.

Try to convince me they were all engaged in novels...

On that two week trip, I read three books.

[colker]

Originally Posted by joosttx

And the irony (which caused me to spit out my water) is you are on a form of social media complaining that you can’t stand social media. Personally, your post would been more digestible in a simple instagram stories meme. Irony and meta are so easily conveyed in the form of instagram memes.

I have reduced my media feed to one news source and a couple cycling forums since i feel like looking at bicycles after riding and i have been riding a lot. You are right but i still make sense.
Socuial media keeps you plugged to "the moment" everybody is living. It´s exasperating since you become and eco chamber of the same memes. Books let you drift off to another zone.

[AngryScientist]

i fly a lot and spend plenty of time in airports. i still read a lot of paper books.

personally, i dont get caught up in the phone thing. i definitely do use mine for incidental tasks, and "quick" items, but trying to read of process info off the small electronic screen hurts my eyes and gives me a headache.

i never get the wi-fi on a plane, and these day, i almost look forward to a trans-cont flight and a good book.

i've also gotten in the habit of giving away books after i read them to people i think might enjoy them. i think if someone gifts you a book, it kind of guilt trips you into actually reading it, so i'm doing my part to keep paper books alive

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Not exactly. See the response immediately following yours. I view this more as a "discussion forum" where interesting ideas can be exchanged. Rather than say, posting a pic of your morning bowl of oatmeal or your cat.

I am above those social media folks because I write words on an internet bike forum (which is not social, not media and not media that is social).

[FlashUNC]