How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy

One main theme, which constitutes the book’s whole premise, is that of humans and technology. The author’s focus is on finding the right balance regarding the use of technology. Odell is not, as some might assume, anti-technology; she states this very clearly in the Introduction. Her concern is with the commercialization of technology in such a way that our attention is hijacked for profit through persuasive design techniques, fear, and anxiety. She writes that this “enshrine[s] a narrow definition of productivity and ignore[s] the local, the carnal, and the poetic” (xii).

One of Odell’s main criticisms of the way technology is put to use is that it strips context from everything. She argues that context is a vital component of making meaning of the world, and it is important in terms of both physical space and time. This lack of context has the effect of flattening ideas and information for a single audience rather than being tailored to specific groups of people. Likewise, the immediate delivery of information through digital networks means that vast amounts of information can pile up instantly, leaving no time to sort through or sit with ideas before responding.