Where is the head to head?
“We are buried beneath the weight of information, which is being confused with knowledge; quantity is being confused with abundance”.
— Tom Waits
The post-pandemic years marked a period of significant transformation in my approach to learning and development, challenging and reshaping traditional views and methods.
For younger people even more so. Modern technologies have equipped them with the tools for learning and instant access to engaging information. One might assume that learning and discovering passions should be easier than ever before. In theory, yes.
The reality, in the great majority, is different.
Nowadays, most of us, live our lives tethered to computers and smartphones, which can be tools for discovery and gaining knowledge but also a great source of distraction.
Even a few years ago, we could listen to a talk, discourse, or program for an hour—engaged, taking notes, and eagerly sharing the information with others.
And now?
Research shows that over the past couple of decades, attention spans have measurably shrunk. Gloria Mark, PhD, of the University of California asserts that the median attention span is now just 40 seconds.
Attentive listening becomes a challenge. We have become accustomed to immediate solutions and straightforward answers.
Do people still attend philosophical or any other kind of lectures to listen attentively, ponder over and form their opinions? That was the norm when I studied. Today, discussions often take place online, centred around sharing opinions rather than truly listening. Students can barely focus on a documentary film for longer than a few minutes before impatiently reaching for their phones.
We'd like to believe that they are searching for answers or switching to something that deeply interests them. But in reality, they are likely checking TikTok rather than seeking something meaningful.
There is no commitment to memorise or share what’s been learned beyond the classroom (unless they are the answers to the test — quickly to be posted online!)
And what about free time?
In theory, access to online music, films, and visual art should enrich us. But what happens in reality? People skim through the quantity of content but are left with a sense of shallowness.
Decreased attention spans often lead to abandoning an article, film or album halfway through.
And physical books?
“Despite the enormous quantity of books, how few people read! And if one reads profitably, one would realise how much stupid stuff the vulgar herd is content to swallow each day.”
— Voltaire
How few? Less than half of adults read one or more books for pleasure in a year. Let me not even mention my today’s negotiations with teenagers to read one (a comic book counts too!) over the summer!
What is the way forward?
More people have access to information than ever before. Even in rural areas, one can access global news or courses to learn a specific language or skill. The internet has provided platforms for artists who might not have been discovered through traditional channels. It is possible to experience art and culture from around the world.
We find real joy in connecting and reconnecting with writers, musicians, and other international artists online, a feat much more challenging in the pre-internet era.
The challenge is full engagement. Less proves to be more. By intentionally reducing quantity and focusing on quality, we might not only discover but also fully enjoy and then share real gems.
Seeing or listening to a sample online can develop an interest and motivate us to buy a specific book or album, attend live shows, and purchase original artwork.
Knowing there's no going back to long conferences or auditoriums filled with students listening to a lecturer for 90 minutes non-stop, let us adapt and find ways to work on our own attention span by cultivating our interests and hobbies and inspiring the younger generation to develop the interest in the value of the human creation — whatever it might be: a book, a film, a painting or a photograph.