continuous partial attention

I saw an article yesterday about “continuous partial attention”. It stood out in the usual clutter of internet fodder because of the way it directly relates to me. I find technology fascinating, I always want to be on the cutting edge of what is going on, I want to be involved in everything around me. But at what cost?

With continuous partial attention we keep the top level item in focus and scan the periphery in case something more important emerges. Continuous partial attention is motivated by a desire not to miss opportunities. We want to ensure our place as a live node on the network, we feel alive when we’re connected. To be busy and to be connected is to be alive.

As some have noticed I have been on somewhat of a hiatus from my blog as of late. Its not because I don’t have anything to write about, on the contrary, I have a backlog (b-log?) of stuff that I have been meaning to write about. But you see, I got a new toy the other day. No it didn’t cost me anywhere near that amount of money, which is part of the reason that I got it when I did. Do I need such a device? Probably not. It does integrate a lot of devices that I already have into one pocketable item. But will it really enhance my life? Probably not in the ways that I should be looking for enhancement. Since I picked it up, I have spent 3 days tweaking it – time that could have been better spent looking for a job or a place to live. I find it fascinating that we have this growing dependence on technology that makes us feel more connected – yet its hard for me to remember the last time I’ve actually talked to many of my fellow bloggers. Its quite a dichotomy.

So now we’re overwhelmed, underfulfilled, seeking meaningful connections. iPod as much about personal space as personalized playlists. Driving question going from ‘what do I have to gain?’ to ‘what do I have to lose?’ Success turning to fear.

Attention captured by marketing messages and leaders who give us a sense of trust, belonging in a meaningful way. Now we long for a quality of life that comes in meaningful connections to friends, colleagues, family that we experience with full-focus attention on relationships, etc.

Its interesting to see this internal struggle I have been sensing for quite some time written so succinctly. Being connected vs. connecting with people. Real life vs. virtual life.

I look at my desktop at the office – and things are updating constantly. RSS feed updates, new e-mails, IM messages, news readers etc… constant distractions. At a recent meeting I attended, I actually found myself using my new toy to read some blogs while they were talking about something that didn’t pertain to me. I constantly see people “plug in” to their MP3 player, the internet, or their cell phone as soon as classes/meetings/work are over. As if its easier to plug in than to actually interact with the world around them. I’ve seen people have conversations without taking out their headset/headphones, pocketing their cell phones, or even closing their laptop lids… sometimes I’m the one who is guilty.

Hello, my name is Pablo. I suffer from continuous partial attention…

What were we talking about?