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
Obvious Adams
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
The Wager
Musashi
Destined For War
Who We Are and How We Got Here
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Dirt to Soil
King Lear
The Blue Sweater
God's Debris
A Splendid Exchange
The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty
Nudge
Neuromancer
The Great Mental Models
American Nations
Incognito
Kochland
Ringworld
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
Eating Animals
The Jewish Century
Something Like an Autobiography
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Art of  Scientific Investigation
The Fourth Turning
Technofeudalism
Physics of the Future
Stories of Your Life and Others
The Big Score
The Man Who Solved The Market
Recapturing The Spirit Of Enterprise
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Creativity, Inc.
Building the Intentional University
The Hour Between Dog and Wolf
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Math, Better Explained
The Unquiet Grave
Bad For You
Scaling People
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
What is Life?
Road to Wigan Pier
In Over Our Heads
Prosperity
Fewer
The Lizard King
Social Cognition
A Mind At Play
The Essays of Schopenhauer
The Dream of Reason
End of Illness
Stumbling on Happiness
Automate This
The 4 Hour Body
Investment Biker
Creative Selection
The Doors of Perception
Citizen Coke
Thermoinfocomplexity
You
Who
Adult Children of Alcoholics
The Gospel of Wealth
A Father First
James Turrell
Where Good Ideas Come From
Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life
Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
The Hydrogen Sonata
Midnight In Chernobyl
Cryptonomicon
Secrets of Closing the Sale
The Power Broker
Charged
Tools and Weapons
Deep Medicine
Tribe
Think Again
Getting It Done
Rise of the Robots
The Global Macro Edge
Entangled Life
Conscious Business
Taxes Have Consequences
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The New Jim Crow
The Ordeal of Civility
The Little Bitcoin Book
Happiness
Biography of the Dollar
Future Forward
The New One
Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish
Man's Search for Meaning
Loonshots
The Underdog Founder
Prisoners of Geography