How long did it take you to decide whether to keep reading this?

Scroll. Skip. Swipe. Repeat.

We skip the intro. Fast-forward the commercials. Scroll past anything that doesn't grab us immediately. And God forbid we have to wait an entire WEEK to find out what happens next.

But here's the funny part...

We'll also sit on the couch and binge six episodes of a television show.

So are our attention spans really getting shorter?

Or have we simply gotten much quicker at deciding what deserves our attention?

In this episode, we're looking at how the way we watch, listen, read, and even wait has changed.

Remember when a television cliffhanger meant you actually had to wait until next week? When missing an episode meant you might never see it? When the commercial break was your chance to run to the bathroom?

And remember being bored?

Waiting rooms. Long car rides. Standing in line. Looking out the window. Daydreaming. People-watching. There wasn't always something in our pocket ready to entertain us every second of the day.

We're also talking about the Skip Intro button and the television theme songs everybody once knew, listening to an entire album instead of skipping after ten seconds, movies that take a little time to get good, and what happens when every book, song, show, article, and video is competing for our attention.

Then there are Shorts, Reels, TikTok, and the newest twist: scripted microdramas designed to be watched vertically on our phones in tiny episodes.

We've gone from:

Tune in next week...

to: Just swipe for the next one.

But maybe our attention spans aren't broken at all.

People still read enormous novels. We listen to hours-long audiobooks and podcasts. We watch three-hour movies. We binge entire seasons of television.

Maybe the real question isn't how long we can pay attention.

Maybe it's: What are we willing to give our attention to?

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 25: Scroll. Skip. Swipe. Repeat.

📖 Learn more about The Brooklyn Witch:

www.thebrooklynwitch.com

📚 The Brooklyn Witch: The Battle for Brooklyn
By Lisa Dolan

✨ Take the Cannoli and Leave the Magic. ✨

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