What Is Your Attention Diet

Calories are units for measuring energy. But there should also be units for measuring attention. I won’t be surprised if there's a special word for it eventually.

I was scrolling through social media on my phone today. A capitalist was arguing with 12 socialists in a gamified debate show for Jubilee’s YouTube channel. The short video preview were salacious, hot blooded and enticing. Exquisite. I had to stop myself from clicking through.

If I had I might've been entertained; maybe I would've encountered a few debate tactics or factoids I’d forget shortly afterwards. I am certain, however, I’d regret the time and attention spent afterward. ‘User-seconds regretted’

I’m sure those regretted user-seconds accumulated over a year or years would lead to a corpulent mind. Maybe a hazy, murky self-image or worldview. I can imagine legions of a fat minded, over-informed, over stimulated hordes staring blankly at screens. Me being among them over time.

What is the Ozempic for the fat mind? It’s not stimulants. I’ve tried those. It might actually be a form of physical exercise (just like it is for physical obesity) A more targeted practice might be some sort of concentration, attentive work.

By reading (and writing) this, the problem is placed momentarily front of mind - which is maybe the most important part. It’s good to get a reminder, every now and again, to mind your consumption of attention units.