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The Invisible Addiction: How the Attention Economy Is Hijacking Your Mind
We like to think of ourselves as independent thinkers, making our own choices about how we spend our time. But what if I told you that much of that “free will” isn’t as free as you think? Every time you pick up your phone, check a notification, or scroll through an endless feed, you’re participating in a game you didn’t sign up for — one where your attention is the currency, and you are not the one profiting.
The modern attention economy is built on a single, undeniable truth: your focus is valuable. Tech companies, media outlets, and advertisers aren’t just trying to capture a few moments of your time — they are in a full-scale war to keep you engaged for as long as possible. It’s why Netflix autoplays the next episode before you even decide to watch it. It’s why social media platforms prioritize engagement-driven content over factual information. It’s why news headlines feel more shocking, urgent, and extreme than ever before. Attention isn’t just something they want; it’s everything.
It’s no accident that you feel a pull to check your phone, even when you just looked at it five minutes ago. Every app, every notification, every algorithm is designed with one purpose: to hijack your dopamine system. The moment you get a like, a comment, or a new follower, your brain releases a tiny hit of…
