Opinion Today: Your mind isn’t scattered. It’s being fracked.

D. Graham Burnett talks to Ezra Klein about the exploitation of our attention and how to resist it.

View in browser|nytimes.com June 1, 2024 Francesca & Leo Inc. By Kristin Lin Producer, Opinion Audio "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." I often think of this line from the writer Annie Dillard. And these days, I'm afraid to admit how much of my time is spent online, my mind jostling around in a sea of infinite scroll. There's little about what I encounter online that I actively choose — and I suspect the same goes for you. That may seem trivial, moment to moment. But what are we losing over a lifetime of stolen attention? That question is at the core of the latest episode of "The Ezra Klein Show," with D. Graham Burnett. A professor of the history of science at Princeton University, he's working on a book about the laboratory study of attention. He argues that social media platforms and advertisers are "fracking" our attention — extracting increasingly marginal amounts of it by pumping increasingly shrill content into our information environments. And he thinks what's at stake is something far beyond our productivity or even our mental health. "This is creating conditions that are at odds with human flourishing," he says. "We know this. And we need to mount new forms of resistance." Thankfully, Burnett is also exploring what this resistance might look like. He's a co-founder of the Strother School of Attention, a grass-roots collective creating a curriculum for studying the matter. And he shares many of the insights he's gained, both as a scholar of attention and as an organizer at the Strother School, in this conversation. It's beautiful, eclectic and meandering in the best way — much like an afternoon walk in which time falls away, much like the pleasure of paying good attention. I hope you'll give it a listen. LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE The Ezra Klein Show Your Mind Is Being Fracked The historian of science D. Graham Burnett on what's at stake in the rise of an extractive attention economy and how we can reclaim our attention. 1 HR 12 MIN LISTEN ADVERTISEMENT THE WEEK IN BIG IDEAS Eleanor Davis Jessica Grose You Can't Perform a Good Marriage Ashley Madison and the pitfalls of a public relationship. By Jessica Grose Zak Jensen Guest Essay With Each Basket Steph Curry Shoots, I Inch Closer to Death The Golden State Warriors were young once, and now they're not. By Ezekiel Kweku Miguel Porlan Guest Essay Harvard Should Say Less. Maybe All Schools Should. Let's spare universities from having to decide which world events deserve official statements. By Noah Feldman and Alison Simmons We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. ADVERTISEMENT Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Opinion Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018