I think it’s both, but ageing plays a significant role. As I have grown older, I am able to both notice and ignore more things. Knowing more about the state of

I think it’s both, but ageing plays a significant role. As I have grown older, I am able to both notice and ignore more things. Knowing more about the state of the world means you just hear more, from less. An article that required 10min read and 3 min looking up definitions now requires 3min skim and I can move on to another one. This makes the present “more shrill”. Being able to more quickly identify content of value (or lack thereof) means you trawl more easily through large amounts. Of course, it’s important to remember that we are not infallible and trusting yourself too much with these techniques is an easy way to become disconnected from the real world. Being younger means more easily being able to narrow your focus, and less easily feel like the world is too loud.