The Currency of the Present: Your attention

How platforms guide our thinking – and what you can do about it

Published on: 23.09.2025 / Total length: 18 minutes

Sascha

This episode of the monologue podcast is about a topic that affects us all – often without us noticing: The attention economy. Our attention is the scarcest resource in the digital age – and that is precisely why it is hotly contested. Platforms such as TikTok, YouTube or Instagram work with mechanisms such as Infinity Scroll, Watchtime optimization and dopamine loops to keep us hooked for as long as possible.

I explain how likes, follower numbers and constant notifications influence our reward system, why FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) fascinates us and how social media subtly controls our behaviour. At the same time, I show the social consequences of this development: Polarization, intensification of content and an ever-increasing fragmentation of our attention.

But there are also ways out. From small tricks such as turning off notifications to deliberately set offline times or curated sources, there are ways to turn your attention back to self-determination.

In the end, the question remains: Where do you consciously focus your attention – and who benefits from it?