The fastest growing sector of the culture economy is distraction . Or call it scrolling or swiping or wasting time or whatever you want. But it’s not art or entertainment, just ceaseless activity.

The key is that each stimulus only lasts a few seconds, and must be repeated.

In just under one generation, we moved from appreciating albums as cohesive works to consuming individual tracks, and then to music becoming reduced to muzak: background noise for gaming, viral videos, or endless scrolling. Disappearing is music as an art in its own right, which commands sustained attention and deep engagement. A song’s success is... See more

The hardest thing is making anyone care.

In the Renaissance, a Florentine merchant could sponsor an artwork that would matter for centuries. In the early days of the American republic, a pamphlet could catalyze revolution. Today, even the most earnest Substack post risks being skimmed between an AI-generated video essay and a TikTok about luxury... See more