The Attention Merchants

The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads

Tim Wu

Recommended By

Book Reviews

Book Synopsis

"The Attention Merchants" by Tim Wu is a thought-provoking examination of how our attention has become a valuable commodity in today's hyper-connected world.

Wu takes us on a journey through history, exploring how advertisers, marketers, and media platforms have gone to great lengths to capture our attention and monetize it. From the early days of newspapers and radio to the modern era of social media and streaming services, he reveals how our attention has become the currency of the digital age.

Drawing parallels between the advertising industry and other forms of attention-grabbing practices, Wu warns us about the potential dangers of living in a world where our every move is tracked and our attention is constantly being hijacked.

He explores the ethical and societal implications of this attention economy, questioning the impact it has on our ability to think critically, make informed decisions, and maintain our privacy.

With meticulous research and insightful analysis, Wu challenges us to rethink our relationship with the attention merchants and offers valuable insights into how we can regain control over our attention and protect ourselves in an increasingly attention-driven society.

"The Attention Merchants" is a compelling and enlightening read that asks the essential question: who owns our attention, and what are the consequences of allowing it to be bought and sold? By delving into the inner workings of the attention economy, Wu provides a compelling case for vigilance in an era where our attention is constantly under siege.

Explore More Books

See All
Creativity and the Brain
Hard Landing
Four Quartets
Where Good Ideas Come From
Intellectuals and Race
Hard Drive
The Belly Art Project
Mandela's Way
The Discovery of France
Proof of Corruption
Barbarian Days
Benjamin Franklin
Pebbles of Perception
The Infinite Game
Prosperity
Gold In The Grass
The Moth Presents All These Wonders
The Closing of the American Mind
Infinite Powers
The Diamond Age
Competitive Strategy
Think Twice
Loonshots
The Future Is Asian
Opportunity Knocks
The Second Machine Age
The Wright Brothers
From Third World to First
Why Does College Cost So Much?
Simple Rules
The Cultural Cold War
The Uninhabitable Earth
Healthy Buildings
The Grid
Six Easy Pieces
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
How to Teach Your Baby Math
The Song Machine
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum
Principles for Dealing With The Changing World Order
Amazon Unbound
Letters To A Young Athlete
Imaginable
Lucky Me
The Salmon of Doubt
How To Be a No Limit Person
Scientific Advertising
Empire of the Summer Moon
Being With Dying
Olives
Walt Disney
Fortitude
More From Less
Thermoinfocomplexity
7 Powers
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
The Neverending Story
Deep Work
The Black Book of Communism
Shortcut
Defender In Chief
Social Cognition
Think Like a Rocket Scientist
Rebooting AI
Managing Oneself
Dreamstate
Seeker
The Moment of Lift
The Man Who Solved The Market
Quantum Computing Since Democritus
The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe
The Little Book of Bull Moves
Fast-Track Triathlete
Virus of the Mind
The Cost Disease
Heretics of Dune
The Fourth Turning is Here
The Paper Menagerie And Other Stories
Mortal Republic
Syntax & Sage
Hopping Over The Rabbit Hole
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
The History of Money
Technically Food
The Mathematics of Politics
Dog Man
Free The Animal
However Long the Night
Holistic Management
This Explains Everything
The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All
Switch
An Immense World
Learning To Love Yourself
The Wayfinders
How to Change Your Mind
Programming Bitcoin
Revolution from Within
The Energy World Is Flat
The Money Game