Take a photo of a barcode or cover
yannabucci's review against another edition
5.0
Ironically I had a hard time focusing on the last chapter lol.
The book might feel a bit alarmist to some, but the problems with our ability to focus are very real and big tech is to blame.
I like how the authors states can only do so much individually and we cannot blame ourselves for our attention problems. Big societal changes need to happen if there’s any hope of getting our focus and attention back to reality.
I also really liked the studies done on childhood development and the things you experience as a child impact your ability to focus later in life.
There’s a lot of evolutionary evidence and relevant studies in the book, but I also appreciate the authors skepticism toward some of it.
This may be a big eye opener to people who don’t understand the detrimental power of social media and it’s algorithms.
Great read.
The book might feel a bit alarmist to some, but the problems with our ability to focus are very real and big tech is to blame.
I like how the authors states can only do so much individually and we cannot blame ourselves for our attention problems. Big societal changes need to happen if there’s any hope of getting our focus and attention back to reality.
I also really liked the studies done on childhood development and the things you experience as a child impact your ability to focus later in life.
There’s a lot of evolutionary evidence and relevant studies in the book, but I also appreciate the authors skepticism toward some of it.
This may be a big eye opener to people who don’t understand the detrimental power of social media and it’s algorithms.
Great read.
amywithcoffee's review against another edition
5.0
This stolen focus happening everywhere must change. Fascinating book!
blinkingredlight's review against another edition
5.0
this book made me feel so hopeless that by the end it had me crying my eyes out, but then i remembered that i can be so fucking annoying until people around me start listening to me and start changing their behaviors or try out things i’m doing, so i’m gonna use this power for good
eleanorreads13's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
dreaj's review against another edition
2.0
Read for 52 Book Club Challenge 2023 #9 Typographic cover
This book reflect concerns that many of us have, but perhaps Johann Hari's breathless polemic should be taken with a pinch of salt. Have a look at the author's career history on Wikipedia (and the supporting references) and draw your own conclusions. It's hard to know who or what to believe any more...
This book reflect concerns that many of us have, but perhaps Johann Hari's breathless polemic should be taken with a pinch of salt. Have a look at the author's career history on Wikipedia (and the supporting references) and draw your own conclusions. It's hard to know who or what to believe any more...
miriam_h's review against another edition
4.0
Overall a well researched, in depth look at how our modern day devices are stealing our attention and focus, and changing our brains. Lots of privilege in this book, which is acknowledged. Really could’ve have gone without so many weight loss analogies, (boo diet culture) I’m sure other analogies would’ve been useful. Other than a whole chapter on ADHD, there wasn’t much about neurodiverse brains. I think there are lots of everyday, practical solutions for me to begin to use. But the biggest takeaway I got was that this current attention crisis is a systemic issue. We must all demand together, as a society, and fight to heal our attention.
vegiyogi's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.0
This book is about more than just our ability to focus, but also about other societal problems that are affected by our focus issues (climate change, the state of democracy, work-life balance, and how we raise and educate our kids in the modern age). I found the sections about the nefarious ways that big tech is monetizing our inability to concentrate and the other factors that affect focus outside of ADHD quite enlightening. As someone diagnosed (late in life) with ADHD, I believe more research has been published since this book’s release that contradict some of his findings, but still it was an interesting read. Not sure I feel inspired so much as hopeless after it, though.