The User Illusion: Why Your Attention Is the Most Valuable Asset on Earth
We often joke that we are "addicted" to our phones, but we rarely stop to ask why . We assume it is a lack of willpower. We assume we just really like the content. But the reality is far more calculated. In the modern digital landscape, the tools we use to connect are not merely tools; they are sophisticated engines designed to extract the one finite resource we all possess: our time. If you aren't paying for the product, you know the old saying: you are the product. But it goes deeper than that. You aren't just the product; you are the raw material. The real product being sold to advertisers is a slight, imperceptible change in your behavior. Here is the truth about the "Attention Economy" and what it is doing to our minds. 1. You Are Carrying a Slot Machine Have you ever pulled down to refresh your email or social feed? That action isn’t designed by accident. It exploits a psychological principle called positive intermittent reinforcement —the exact same m...