In our day and age, the attention span of an average internet user is very short! We don’t have the time and patience for anything. We want to consume content quickly and without breaking a sweat over it. Why, you might ask, do we have such short attention spans.
The reason behind our short attention span can be attributed to a variety of reasons. One of the key reasons is the constant influx of information and distractions that we face on a daily basis, which makes it difficult for us to focus on one thing for an extended period. The rise of technology and the internet has made it easy for us to access an endless amount of information and stimuli, leading to an overabundance of distractions. Additionally, the way many apps and websites are designed can also contribute to our short attention spans, by providing a constant stream of new information and notifications.
Another reason for our short attention span is the influence of social media platforms and mobile devices. Almost all social media platforms are created to be highly engaging, encouraging users to spend extended periods of time on the app. The reason behind this design choice is purely financial: As users spend more time on social media platforms, they consume more content and see more ads. As a result, the platform can sell more ads and make more profit.
The addictive design of social media platforms leads to frequent phone and social media checks which can make it hard for us to focus on other activities. You must have been distracted by the mere presence of your mobile phone while working or studying. You want to take a short break and browse your timeline on a social media app for just ten minutes or so. Fast forward to an hour later, you are still stuck on social media and getting absolutely nothing productive done!
In addition to the effect of social media, there is the element of evolution: Our brains have developed over time to pay attention to new and unusual things, which helped our ancestors to survive, which further explains our short attention span. Due to how our brains evolved in time, we look for new and exciting things all the time.
As a direct result of our continuous search for novelty and easy to consume content, TikTok became insanely popular over the last few years. In fact, we wouldn’t be exaggerating if we said that TikTok skyrocketed to being a household social media platform in a highly saturated market almost overnight! Now social media users create and share tens of thousands of videos on the platform in a wide range of topics like cooking, cleaning, popular tv shows, new music, books, science, Minecraft TikTok hacks and a lot more.
