Crumbling attention-span is set to become a near future social issue
date
Dec 27, 2024
slug
2024-crumbling-attention-span-is-set-to-become-a-near-future-social-issue
status
Published
tags
attention
social media
education
type
Post
summary
Social media's focus on short content is reducing cognitive abilities, leading to lower education levels and increased mental health issues. This is a problem for tomorrow…and today.
A wealth of information means a poverty of attention (Herbert Simon, 1977)
“We used to be more intelligent”. The eternal condemnation of generations early than yours is as old as the world. However, we may have something really new in the pipeline: social media ephemerality is digging into cognitive abilities that will bring down education levels. So, before the next like in your Tiktok video, spend a few minutes to see what you are buying.
The digital world favors brevity. News articles have become shorter, video consumption continues to surge, and digital content fights for limited mental space in our endless queue of information to process. While this doesn't necessarily mean that Tolstoy and Joyce will lose all their readers (though they certainly will have fewer), the consequences of this disposable media run deeper. These brief attention spans are actually diminishing our cognitive capabilities.
"Oh, no, not mine," as David Bowie sang in Ashes to Ashes. Yet if you spend your idle moments scrolling through TikTok and Instagram shorts, then yes—it affects you too. These mass-consumed short narratives steadily erode our brain's ability to process complex information. Text-based advertising is already declining (and it will get worse) because it's easier to sell to people who don't think critically.
The medium and long-term implications are even more concerning. As cognitive abilities decline, the educational system faces mounting challenges. Mathematics proficiency has become a growing concern in the United States, while in the European Union, 30% of 15-year-olds lack basic math competencies, and a quarter underperform in reading or science—with even worse statistics across the rest of the continent. Moreover, the instant gratification from seconds-long media consumption increases the risks of anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, and burnout. This mental health impact alone represents a significant social crisis.
Can governments influence this? It's challenging, since social media's dangers aren't yet widely recognized as a serious issue—the initial public reaction would likely be rejection. Nevertheless, some countries like the UK have seen petitions to make social media illegal for users under certain ages (16 or 18, depending on the proposal). While imposing heavy taxation is typically effective in bringing corporate accountability, in this case—though potentially beneficial—it might trigger backlash in societies too apathetic or unwilling to confront the problem.
The media quality crisis appears insurmountable as audiences continue seeking quick dopamine hits from their devices, leading to declining human development indices. While long-form content will maintain its appeal among educated readers, for populations conditioned to shorter attention spans, it risks becoming niche content. The trend points toward a polarized media landscape where a growing divide separates well-educated and less-educated audiences. The consequence is clear: poorly informed people make poorer decisions. Draw your own conclusions...