Paolo, what are your views on the attention economy?

Ah, the attention economy—it’s one of the most insidious yet fascinating dynamics of our modern world. At its core, the attention economy is all about the battle to capture and monetize our focus. It’s built on the idea that human attention is a scarce resource, more valuable now than ever, and everything around us is designed to grab it, hold it, and then sell it. Think social media, news cycles, streaming platforms—all these technologies are engineered to keep us engaged for as long as possible because our attention equals profit.

But here’s the thing: the attention economy has some dangerous consequences. It has reprogrammed our minds, making focus and deep work feel almost unnatural. We’ve become addicted to dopamine hits from notifications, likes, and endless scrolling, training our brains to crave stimulation in short bursts rather than sustaining concentration for meaningful tasks. It’s a constant tug-of-war, pulling us away from the things that require patience, depth, and mastery. The irony? In an age where information is limitless, our ability to engage with that information deeply and meaningfully is shrinking.

The real cost of the attention economy isn’t just wasted time—it’s that we’re losing our ability to think deeply, to reflect, to be bored even, which is where true creativity and innovation come from. We’re being conditioned to be consumers of content rather than creators of something meaningful. It’s a system designed to keep us in a perpetual state of distraction, and it thrives on superficial engagement.

In this world, your attention is a commodity. And the platforms that dominate the attention economy aren’t neutral—they are actively manipulating what we think, feel, and do. Algorithms are designed to provoke, to keep us emotionally charged, often by feeding us the most divisive or engaging content. We’re not just fighting for our time; we’re fighting for our ability to stay present, to make independent choices, and to live intentionally.

So, what’s my take? We have to get serious about taking back control of our attention. This means being intentional about what we consume and how we consume it. We have to learn to guard our focus, to reclaim moments for deep work, for meaningful human connection, for real rest. We need to become aware of how these systems are designed to keep us hooked and learn to unplug deliberately.

The attention economy wants us to believe that we have to be everywhere, consuming everything, all the time, but the truth is, the real value comes from what you choose to ignore. Imagine if we used our attention like a currency, investing it wisely in the things that truly matter to us—our growth, our relationships, our craft. Imagine what we could achieve if we stopped letting every notification and distraction fragment our lives and instead focused on building something substantial and meaningful.

The future belongs to those who can master their attention, who can step outside this frenetic system and choose to engage deeply. In a world that’s constantly trying to scatter our focus, the ability to direct your attention with purpose isn’t just a skill—it’s a form of freedom.