@ned @Masterork @MountainJay i'm not sure they knew this would happen on purpose i think they're just happy that it turned out this way.

attention merchantry was almost impossible for say, romans, but in the boomers time they had radios (and ad hell), television. when i was a small i was systemically neglected and used to ask how i could possibly as a child out-compete the television programmers for attention.

now there are phones to provide personalized dopamine jails. you get people in permanent loops of activities that are just engaging enough to avoid putting them down but not enough to get any sense of accomplishment or satisfaction out of it