004 Jocko Manual: The War for Your Mind

Traditional journalism faces a cataclysmic crisis due to the rise of tech giants, outdated business models, and consumer behavior shifts. The crisis has led to massive job losses in journalism and increased mistrust of the media. Experts warn it could fuel manipulation in democratic processes.

If you’ve been spending less time keeping up with the news, you’re in good company. Research shows that many Americans are paying less attention to the headlines than they used to—and there are many possible reasons why.

The number of local journalists in the US has dropped by 75% since 2002, leaving millions of Americans with little or no reliable local coverage. When local journalism disappears, voter turnout decreases, residents miss key information about decisions that affect their lives, and communities lose the ability to hold institutions accountable.

In The Sirens’ Call, MSNBC host Chris Hayes demystifies the mechanics of an economy built to commandeer your attention. He reveals how our attention—the very substance of our consciousness—has become a commodity seized and controlled by media platforms and advertisers for their profit. With Hayes’s insights, you can regain control of your mental life and choose what truly deserves your most precious resource.

In this guide, we’ll explain why social media feels like a slot machine, how politicians have become “attention trolls,” and why even serious problems struggle to keep our attention. In addition, you’ll learn practical strategies to reclaim your attention from the forces commodifying it. Along the way, we’ll explore the parallels between attention exploitation and other forms of resource extraction, examine how attention-seeking behavior shapes our identities, and consider whether it’s possible to regulate the attention economy.

Why is it that some new products and ideas gain widespread popularity while others fail to “catch on”? According to marketing expert Jonah Berger, the driving force behind products and ideas catching on and becoming “contagious” is word of mouth: Things catch on when people talk about them. You might think you have to spend large amounts on advertising to trigger this effect—but Berger explains that generating word of mouth only requires a compelling product or compelling marketing.

In our guide, we’ll explain Berger’s strategies for generating word of mouth, why they work, and how you can implement them. Through our commentary, we’ll also bring in psychological research and alternative perspectives that add nuance and contrast to Berger’s strategies. In addition, we’ll provide real-world examples of Berger’s principles and practical advice on how to adapt them to your product or idea.

Are you spending too much time on your devices? Psychologist and marketing expert Adam Alter suggests that excessive technology use is common and can lead to behavioral addiction. In Irresistible (2017), he explains how smartphones, social media, and video games are designed to keep users hooked—and how you can regain control of your technology use.

In our guide, we discuss the rise of technology addiction and how you can identify it. Next, we examine the techniques technology developers implement to keep users hooked. Finally, we explore Alter's suggestions for combating technology addiction and fostering a healthier relationship with digital devices. Our commentary explores other experts’ perspectives on addiction, insights into the potential harms and benefits of technology use, and tips for managing your technology use in a healthy way.

In The Sirens’ Call, MSNBC host Chris Hayes demystifies the mechanics of an economy built to commandeer your attention. He reveals how our attention—the very substance of our consciousness—has become a commodity seized and controlled by media platforms and advertisers for their profit. With Hayes’s insights, you can regain control of your mental life and choose what truly deserves your most precious resource.

In this guide, we’ll explain why social media feels like a slot machine, how politicians have become “attention trolls,” and why even serious problems struggle to keep our attention. In addition, you’ll learn practical strategies to reclaim your attention from the forces commodifying it. Along the way, we’ll explore the parallels between attention exploitation and other forms of resource extraction, examine how attention-seeking behavior shapes our identities, and consider whether it’s possible to regulate the attention economy.

We live in an age where sophisticated technologies are increasingly pervasive. User interfaces are so intuitive that we don’t need a manual to figure out how every mobile application works—but what is it about specific technologies that allows them to integrate seamlessly into our day-to-day lives, and how did user-friendliness become the bedrock of innovation?

In User Friendly, user experience designers Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant explore the evolution of user-friendly design—how the concept emerged from the feminist movement in the 1920s, how it has morphed into the often addictive forms of technology that we have today, and how it might be leveraged to improve human well-being in the future. The authors argue that we must shift how companies apply user-friendly design principles to ensure that technology reflects the values of consumers—and doesn’t just keep people glued to screens to their own detriment. In this guide, we’ll also incorporate research showing how technology impacts the social fabric of society as well as advice on mitigating technology’s harmful effects.