Listening in a Distracting World
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If this page took more than five seconds to load,
you probably didn’t bother to read it.
If it did load, but your attention was not captured in about ten seconds,
you probably would not continue to read it.
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Attention, Patience, and Listening where has it gone?
Why are so many in such a hurry?
…and why to some does a few minutes in silence without a piece of technology seem like an eternity of torture?
This is also not something isolated either, venues are getting shorter and more attention grabbing.
For instance, Second City skits use to be about twelve minutes,
but, now they are about five minutes because that is all the attention that people will give now a days.
What is this happening?
Why are things getting so complicated,
and why is it that listening is suffering on a global level?
Part of the answer to this relates to the ‘Attention Economy’.
Businesses pay big bucks for your attention, and they pay even more so their marketing outlet is louder and more captivating than their competitor’s.
Today more than ever we live in a world of distraction.
With this new market every distraction is potential cashflow, and in a capitalistic world distraction means just one thing… money.
Every buzz on your phone, every chime, every television commercial,
and every song is designed to tune you in.
However,
when we tune into a distraction… we also tune out the present moment.
What is worse is that giving in to distraction is habit forming, and rather addictive.
Feel a bad emotion? Then just turn on the tv… ahh, that is better 😐
Worried about something… don’t bother working on it… as there is a shiny plastic bag over there which will take your mind off the discomfort much more quickly and easily.
The ability for us to hold our attention, imagine another’s experience, and empathetically feel what they feel is one of the most important things we can do. It allows us to actually connect with others, and I mean actually connect… to see them… to experience them… and to understand them.
But, today active listening, and our daily attention is suffering.
The ultimate cost of this is our relationships.
Technology like Social Media has allowed us to filter what gets into our bubble.
Don’t like this?
Then click to not show you this type of stuff…
Like this?
Then just click like.
Suddenly we just see what we want to see, and share what we want to share.
We created a device to make us the center of our own world… no wonder why fake news, miscommunications, and disconnection has become so prevalent.
As our attention has shrunk our ego’s have grown… but, these ego boosting behaviors are not actually what we are craving.
Much like pulling a lever on a slot machine, the likes to these self-interested posts are like an empty fix. A hit of feeling WorthIt, a hit of feeling Admired… followed by a continued emptiness.
But, Hey, after all, maybe, just maybe that next pull on the lever is all that is needed.
One more hit of self-esteem then everything will be better
However, beyond this veneer what we really crave is connection, not admiration.
The issue is that the self-indulging act of ‘me-ness’ will not produce connection.
The soul craves true connection, and the marvel of technology while bringing us closer together has also moved us further apart.
Please,
the next time you hear a ding or buzz don’t let it take you.
They say that once attention has been broken it really takes a good 30 minutes before you get back into that flow state. Listening also becomes a flow state between two people when we remain present. Practicing meditation and mindfulness can help give us back the power to stay present.
Remember,
we created this technology to serve us, just as how our emotions evolved to help us.
Though, with any complicated system a certain respect is required; a certain pause.
Do not let distractions rob you of your presence; practice mindfulness.
Reclaim your awareness today! ❤
SeeingSharp 