Thriving in the Age of Acceleration

It’s become increasingly obvious that nearly every media channel we interact with these days is desperately vying for our attention—competing for one of our most valuable resources: our time and focus. We endure endless breaking-news cycles, constant phone notifications, and a barrage of emotional triggers—all designed to keep us engaged—watching, listening, scrolling, and reacting.

As Tristan Harris puts it in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, “If you’re not paying for the product, then you are the product.” 

How does it feel to be the product?

Perhaps more concerning is how little oversight exists for social media algorithms—systems that collect our data to understand our behaviors and psychology, and then use that knowledge to influence or manipulate us.  If you’ve ever heard that small voice in the back of your mind urging you to put the phone down or turn off the news, this piece is meant as a reminder that you’re not imagining it—the pull is real, and it’s by design.

First, it’s important to briefly understand the basic framework of how our brains operate. The late Daniel Kahneman theorized that there are two systems of thinking.  The first is fast and mostly automatic, rooted in instinct and intuition—sometimes referred to as autopilot. I call this system our Instinctual Self, though it could just as easily be called our Intuitive Self.

The second system is slower and more deliberate—our reflective, problem-solving mind.  I call this our Thoughtful Self.  This system solves complex problems and thinks deeply about our lives and their direction.  It’s the part of us that seeks alignment, purpose, and meaning.

Both systems are essential to modern life.  We need our Instinctual Self to act quickly, to keep us safe in fight-or-flight moments, and to execute the directives set by our deeper, reflective self.  And we need our Thoughtful Self to develop winning strategies, weigh options carefully, and navigate the complex challenges we encounter in both our personal and professional lives.

What modern media understands—often better than we do—is that our Instinctual Self is running the show almost all of the time.  That makes us especially vulnerable to emotional triggers—carefully planted landmines designed to capture our attention.  When our Instinctual Self trips one, it becomes trapped in an engagement loop.  Because this part of our self is constantly scanning for potential threats, modern media has learned to feed it just enough perceived danger to keep it looping as long as possible—using the same psychological playbook found in video games.  In many ways, we’re tricked into engagement—often leaving us mentally drained, distracted, and even anxious.

So how do we fight back?

First, we must recognize the game being played—and understand that it’s all about capturing, holding, and monetizing our attention.  The longer they hold it, the more valuable we become as a product.  Awareness is our first line of defense.  Once we recognize the cues and hooks modern media employs, our Thoughtful Self can step in to guide our Instinctual Self, just as it might do when we are trying to break a habit like swearing or overeating.  With clear awareness, the Thoughtful Self can issue a new directive—helping the Instinctual Self identify the trigger and shift the response or rouse the Thoughtful Self for more input.  That’s mindfulness in action.

When we feel manipulated, we can choose to disengage—refusing to reward bad actors with our attention.  If we continue to feel manipulated, we might decide to eliminate such media from our consumption altogether or greatly limit its presence in our lives.

Here are five ways to re-engage your Thoughtful Self and help your Instinctual Self navigate the engagement traps of modern media:

Practical Ways to Re-Engage Your Thoughtful Self and Refresh Your Responses

1. Education – Awareness Fuels Change

   Learn how algorithms and engagement models work.  Awareness alone can shift how you interact with them.  Consider watching The Social Dilemma (Netflix) or reading Stolen Focus by Johann Hari or Indistractable by Nir Eyal to better understand how your attention is being captured, shaped, and sold.  With this deeper awareness, it will be easier to see the invisible strings being pulled—allowing your Instinctual Self to interrupt the loop before it forms, rouse your Thoughtful Self, and choose an intentional response instead.

   
   

2. Reflection – Slowing the Scroll

   Before opening your favorite app, consider the time and energy you are about to invest.  Is this the best use of your downtime?  Does this advance your goals and objectives at this stage of your life?  It’s completely fine to say this time is about unwinding or being entertained (not advancing goals and objectives)—but remember two things in that moment: 1) there are countless ways to unwind or entertain yourself that may be less detrimental, and 2) we are creatures of habit, so whatever it is you choose to do with that “unwind” time, it’s very likely it becomes your routine.  Ask yourself: “Is this really serving me—or slowly consuming me?”  Your reflection in this regard can interrupt the routine and activate your Thoughtful Self to a more productive or restorative activity.  Even a moment of awareness can create space for better choices.

   
   

3. Intention – Curate What Deserves Your Attention

   The same way life planning clarifies what matters most to us, we can create a list of where we want to spend our time.  How do we want to unwind after a long day?  What are the most productive, restorative, or healthy options?  What’s the right amount of news to consume—and which mediums leave you feeling informed rather than stressed or anxious?  Decide which inputs support your growth—books, podcasts, shows, relationships—and which drain you.  Unfollow, unsubscribe, and limit exposure to sources that don’t serve you.  Shining some intention here can dramatically change your consumption habits for the better.

   
   

4. Boundaries – Allocate Time Wisely

   Our Thoughtful Self needs quiet and calm to function best.  Consider building clear rules and boundaries around media consumption and technology—morning or evening phone-free windows, no-notification zones, or even entire days or weeks away from social media or other guilty-pleasure media.  As with most things, moderation is wise—but if it continues to pull you off course, consider abstaining altogether.

   
   

5. Gratitude – Reconnect with the Present

   Gratitude is a grounding force that has consistently been cited as a key contributor to our happiness.  When you practice appreciation—writing down a few meaningful wins, expressing thoughtful appreciation for others, noticing beauty, or simply pausing to breathe and fully take in what surrounds you—you pull energy away from fear, discord, and scarcity (some of the media’s favorite triggers) and back toward abundance and calm. Gratitude may be the easiest and most reliable antidote for a captured mind.

   
   

We are unlikely to stop—or even slow—the world’s current pace of acceleration, but we can decide the pace at which we want to live.  By bringing awareness to what hijacks our attention and refreshing the connection between our Thoughtful Self and Instinctual Self, we create a more strategic and intentional approach to life—one that allows us not just to keep up, but to truly thrive.