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It's not really an emergent property but anything driven by selling attention has been engineered and tested to draw attention reliably. From print media to rad
by j-c-hewitt 9y ago
It's not really an emergent property but anything driven by selling attention has been engineered and tested to draw attention reliably. From print media to radio and TV the formats are chosen in a way that boosts engagement. From publishing short stories in serial in the 19th century to closing a local news segment with a teaser for a breaking story, these products are designed to be habit forming.
- dredmorbius 9y agoI think it's actually difficult to untangle the two aspects. Especially when you consider the success ... or more accurately lack thereof ... of attempts to deliberately counter the tendency. I think this is fairly deep psychological wiring, and possibly informational dynamics, period. This from someone who detests the practice and would much rather see alternatives.