The Attention Merchants
The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads
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Narrated by:
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Marc Cashman
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By:
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Tim Wu
About this listen
From Tim Wu, author of the award-winning The Master Switch (a New Yorker and Fortune Book of the Year) and who coined the term "net neutrality” - a revelatory, ambitious, and urgent account of how the capture and resale of human attention became the defining industry of our time.
Feeling attention challenged? Even assaulted? American business depends on it.
Attention merchant: an industrial-scale harvester of human attention. A firm whose business model is the mass capture of attention for resale to advertisers.
In nearly every moment of our waking lives, we face a barrage of messaging, advertising enticements, branding, sponsored social media, and other efforts to harvest our attention. Few moments or spaces of our day remain uncultivated by the "attention merchants", contributing to the distracted, unfocused tenor of our times. Tim Wu argues that this condition is not simply the byproduct of recent technological innovations but the result of more than a century's growth and expansion in the industries that feed on human attention. From the pre-Madison Avenue birth of advertising to the explosion of the mobile web; from AOL and the invention of email to the attention monopolies of Google and Facebook; from Ed Sullivan to celebrity power brands like Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, and Donald Trump, the basic business model of "attention merchants" has never changed: free diversion in exchange for a moment of your consideration, sold in turn to the highest-bidding advertiser. Wu describes the revolts that have risen against the relentless siege of our awareness, from the remote control to the creation of public broadcasting to Apple's ad-blocking OS. But he makes clear that attention merchants are always growing new heads, even as their means of getting inside our heads are changing our very nature - cognitive, social, political, and otherwise - in ways unimaginable even a generation ago.
“A startling and sweeping examination of the increasingly ubiquitous commercial effort to capture and commodify our attention.... We’ve become the consumers, the producers, and the content. We are selling ourselves to ourselves.” (Tom Vanderbilt, The New Republic)
“An erudite, energizing, outraging, funny and thorough history.... A devastating critique of ad tech as it stands today, transforming 'don't be evil' into the surveillance business model in just a few short years. It connects the dots between the sale of advertising inventory in schools to the bizarre ecosystem of trackers, analyzers and machine-learning models that allow the things you look at on the web to look back at you.... This stuff is my daily beat, and I learned a lot from Attention Merchants.” (Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing)
“Illuminating.” (Jacob Weisberg, The New York Review of Books)
©2016 Tim Wu (P)2016 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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"Tim Wu has written a profoundly important book on a problem that doesn't get enough - well, attention. Attention itself has become the currency of the information age, and, as Wu meticulously and eloquently demonstrates, we allow it to be bought and sold at our peril." (James Gleick, author of Time Travel: A History)
"I couldn't put this fascinating book down. Gripping from page one with its insight, vivid writing, and panoramic sweep, The Attention Merchants is also a book of urgent importance, revealing how our preeminent industries work to fleece our consciousness rather than help us cultivate it." (Amy Chua, Yale law professor and author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and The Triple Package)
"Television entranced the masses. Digital media, more insidiously, mesmerizes each of us individually. In this revelatory book, Tim Wu tells the story of how advertisers and programmers came to seize control of our eyes and minds. The Attention Merchants deserves everyone's attention." (Nicholas Carr, author of Utopia Is Creepy and The Shallows)
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In a book that's one part prophecy, one part thought experiment, one part manifesto, and one part survival manual, internet impresario and blogging pioneer Jeff Jarvis reverse-engineers Google, the fastest-growing company in history, to discover 40 clear and straightforward rules to manage and live by.
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Shallow and one-sided
- By JimmiJ on 02-04-09
By: Jeff Jarvis
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The Formula
- How Algorithms Solve all our Problems…and Create More
- By: Luke Dormehl
- Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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A fascinating guided tour of the complex, fast-moving, and influential world of algorithms - what they are, why they’re such powerful predictors of human behavior, and where they’re headed next. Algorithms exert an extraordinary level of influence on our everyday lives - from dating websites and financial trading floors, through to online retailing and internet searches - Google's search algorithm is now a more closely guarded commercial secret than the recipe for Coca-Cola.
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Not about algorithms. Not an original book.
- By Landon Rordam on 12-02-14
By: Luke Dormehl
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Frenemies
- The Epic Disruption of the Ad Business (And Everything Else)
- By: Ken Auletta
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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An intimate and profound reckoning with the changes buffeting the $2 trillion global advertising and marketing business from the perspective of its most powerful players, by the best-selling author of Googled. Advertising and marketing touches on every corner of our lives, and is the invisible fuel powering almost all media. Complain about it though we might, without it the world would be a darker place. And of all the industries wracked by change in the digital age, few have been turned on its head as dramatically as this one has.
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Good; not for beginners
- By DV on 10-05-18
By: Ken Auletta
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The Image, 50th Anniversary Edition
- A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America
- By: Daniel J. Boorstin, Douglas Rushkoff - afterword
- Narrated by: Timothy Danko
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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First published in 1962, this wonderfully provocative book introduced the notion of "pseudo-events" - events such as press conferences and presidential debates, which are manufactured solely in order to be reported - and the contemporary definition of celebrity as "a person who is known for his well-knownness". Since then Daniel J. Boorstin's prophetic vision of an America inundated by its own illusions has become an essential resource for any listeners who wants to distinguish the manifold deceptions of our culture from its few enduring truths.
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Boorstin’s deep Conservative mindset reaches through every example in this book.
- By Christine on 10-12-20
By: Daniel J. Boorstin, and others
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Program or Be Programmed
- Ten Commands for a Digital Age
- By: Douglas Rushkoff
- Narrated by: Douglas Rushkoff
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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In 10 chapters, composed of 10 "commands", Rushkoff provides cyber enthusiasts and technophobes alike with the guidelines to navigate the digital new universe. In this spirited, accessible poetics of new media, Rushkoff picks up where Marshall McLuhan left off, helping listeners to recognize programming as the new literacy of the digital age - and as a template through which to see beyond social conventions and power structures that have vexed us for centuries.
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Good book, but with some crazy ranting
- By Bjarne on 02-05-15
By: Douglas Rushkoff
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The Nineties
- A Book
- By: Chuck Klosterman
- Narrated by: Chuck Klosterman, Dion Graham
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
It was long ago, but not as long as it seems: The Berlin Wall fell and the Twin Towers collapsed. In between, one presidential election was allegedly decided by Ross Perot while another was plausibly decided by Ralph Nader. Landlines fell to cell phones, the internet exploded, and pop culture accelerated without the aid of technology that remembered everything. It was the last era with a real mainstream to either identify with or oppose. The ’90s brought about a revolution in the human condition, and a shift in consciousness, that we’re still struggling to understand.
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A Very White Middle-class Take On The Nineties
- By Umar Lee on 02-10-22
By: Chuck Klosterman
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The Impact Equation
- Are You Making Things Happen or Just Making Noise?
- By: Chris Brogan, Julien Smith
- Narrated by: Chris Brogan, Julien Smith
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
Three short years ago, when Chris Brogan and Julien Smith wrote their best seller, Trust Agents, being interesting and human on the Web was enough to build a significant audience. But now, everybody has a platform. The problem is that most of them are just making noise. In The Impact Equation, Brogan and Smith show that to make people truly care about what you have to say - you need more than just a good idea, trust among your audience, or a certain number of followers.
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Almost as good as Contagious
- By Bruce on 05-15-13
By: Chris Brogan, and others
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The Click Moment
- Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World
- By: Frans Johansson
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
On the one hand we aren’t surprised by the uncertainty of everyday life, but on the other we believe that success can be analyzed and planned for. It is a revealing paradox. The implications are explosive and they obliterate every common-sense notion we have about strategy and planning. The Click Moment is about two very simple but highly provocative ideas.
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Outstanding book!
- By Anilyn Karel on 08-26-24
By: Frans Johansson
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Disruptive Marketing
- What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other Hybrid Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal
- By: Geoffrey Colon
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Colon
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Now that 75 percent of screen time is spent on connected devices, digital strategies have moved front and center of most marketing plans. But what if that's not enough? What if most people ignore company messages? What if consumer engagement never goes further than the "like" button? A sobering reality is hitting marketers. Technology hasn't just reshaped mass media, it's altering behavior as well. And getting through to customers will take some radical rethinking.
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Needed. Valuable. Welcome contribution.
- By Oliver Nielsen on 04-26-17
By: Geoffrey Colon
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Dream Year
- Make the Leap from a Job You Hate to a Life You Love
- By: Ben Arment
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
What if someone could guide you, step-by-step, as you identify, plan, and launch your dream career - in just one year. That's what Ben Arment does in his transformative coaching class, which has helped hundreds of people reinvent their lives to enjoy greater enthusiasm and fulfillment while also making a living. Now he's sharing his best insights, advice, and inspiring true stories in Dream Year. You'll find out how people just like you are discovering (or rediscovering) what they were truly born to do, then following a proven process to make it real.
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Motivational!
- By ajanicad on 03-21-15
By: Ben Arment
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Trade-Off
- Why Some Things Catch On, and Others Don't
- By: Kevin Maney
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In Trade-Off, Kevin Maney shows how these conflicting forces determine the success, or failure, of new products and services in the marketplace. He shows that almost every decision we make as consumers involves a trade-off between fidelity and convenience between the products we love and the products we need.
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No Trade-Offs for Reading Trade-Off
- By Joshua Kim on 06-10-12
By: Kevin Maney
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Risky Is the New Safe
- By: Randy Gage
- Narrated by: Randy Gage
- Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Risky Is the New Safe is a different kind of book for a different kind of thinking - a thought-provoking manifesto for risk takers. It will challenge you to think laterally, question premises, and be a contrarian. Disruptive technology, accelerating speed of change, and economic upheaval are changing the game. The same tired, old conventional thinking won’t get you to success today. Risky Is the New Safe will change the way you look at everything!
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Very Enjoyable
- By Michael on 04-19-13
By: Randy Gage
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Break Through the Noise
- The Nine Rules to Capture Global Attention
- By: Tim Staples, Josh Young
- Narrated by: Luis Moreno
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The odds of getting a video onto YouTube's front page are 1-in-2,000,0000, but Tim Staples, founder and CEO of Shareability, knows how to make the algorithms of Youtube, Google, Facebook and Instagram work for you - and he has the results to prove it, with a thriving business that has gotten their videos onto YouTube's front page an amazing 25 times. Here he shows savvy marketers, entrepreneurs, and online celebrity wannabes how they, too, can develop clever videos that amass millions of views.
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NOT A GOOD BOOK TO BE
- By FABIO HART on 05-08-22
By: Tim Staples, and others
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What listeners say about The Attention Merchants
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Marjohn Love
- 10-26-16
Thought provoking
When I purchased this audio book I had hoped the author would elucidate what is going on with the rampant pillaging of personal private information. I fear nefarious use of such data. I was not expecting the author's deep, thoughtful historical analysis of the issues around advertising. Where he went, he went carefully and fearlessly.
I am not clear if cloud storage of data existed at the time of his writing. The level of cohersion to force individuals to use such data storage services is something I find dangerous and personally appalling.
I am an author and TV show host. Without my consent all my shows and the still photos I use to enrich the studio footage were uploaded to the cloud. I was then informed I had to pay monthly rent for the undesired storage or have the episodes removed from my home computer. Much data was mysteriously deleted from not only the mainframe but also my backup drive.
I rebelled and was able to reclaim my ownership of my own intellectual property, at least for a short while. Lately I faced a more subtle upload requirement of unpublished text and perfectly functioning portable storage drives are now malfunctioning. I heard the term ransomware. I would love to hear this author's opinions about that and it's impact on intellectual expression and ultimately freedom of speech. If someone you do not know can delete your thoughts and words at will, how safe are you as a creative?
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- ArcaneCode
- 03-15-17
This history of the impact of advertising
What did you love best about The Attention Merchants?
Another reviewer called this the history of advertising. I think it would be more accurate to call it a history of the impact of advertising on us as a society. The Professor does a wonderful job of exploring what the ramifications of advertising have been over the years.
A good example was how advertising for Newport cigarettes in the early part of the 20th century wound up making the same shade of green used in Newport packaging one of the hot fashion colors at the time.
What did you like best about this story?
The author makes clear that advertising is a form of propaganda, and goes on to explain what propaganda is and how it works. Today we think of propaganda as something evil, a way to send a subversive message. Professor Wu helped me understand that at one time the word propaganda had neither a positive or negative connotation, but was instead a method for swaying public opinion.
Have you listened to any of Marc Cashman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have, this one is equally as good as his others. Some narrators seem to get in the way of the story, but Mr Cashman does a good job of making the story be the star, the mark of a good narrator.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I enjoyed hearing about Edward Bernays and the impact he had on the world of propaganda and advertising. I'd heard of him before (most notably on the podcast 'Stuff They Don't Want You to Know'), but learned many new things about Mr Bernays from this book.
Any additional comments?
I think I enjoyed Professor Wu's work "The Master Switch" a tad more, but that I believe is due to my interest and work in the tech world. (If you haven't read it yet I highly suggest making it the next book you get.)
When I saw this work though I immediately bought it and don't in the least regret it. I learned many new things, and it gave me pause to think about what impact advertising (propaganda) has had on me.
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- juditharthouse
- 10-16-20
Attention Merchants is a Revelation
Detailed, Clear, and magnificently laid out of how consumer attention became the most sought after commodity of all.
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- J. Webber
- 12-21-16
Understanding what and who motivates our buying
Here is an educational opportunity to know why and who you are supporting with your buying habits and purchases. I enjoy the connection between the option to think of choice rather then impulse.
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2 people found this helpful
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- RickyF
- 02-09-18
Worth the read
Learn about the history of propaganda and advertising from a wonderful story teller and thorough researcher. Excellent narration by Marc Cashman. You will not be disappointed by this book.
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- John
- 09-26-17
#mustlistenformarketers
Insightful and entertaining. Though, it's the modern advertising equivalent of "Manchester By The Sea."
Recommend listening at 1.5x speed.
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- Tamy
- 11-01-19
Interesting
I enjoyed it. it was interesting but I had to speed up the reading because it was a bit slow.
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- Karen M Ellerbrock
- 08-19-18
Superb insights
This perspective on those who clamor for our attention is eye opening. See advertising from the side of Mad Men and Snake Oil salesman. All woven together artfully and readily understandable.
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- Alastair N. Mcleod
- 04-08-18
Indispensable Guide Book to the Age of the Ad
Tim Wu’s book is an extraordinary review of processes he says began to be industrialized about 200 years ago. From New York broadsheets to internet clickbait, it’s all here. It isn’t just about advertising and its close cousin propaganda. It’s about the farming of human consciousness for profit. The book is prescient. It was published before the exposure of Facebook’s feckless behavior, but it could have incorporated that debacle seamlessly, and sounds the broadest possible warning that there is more to come.
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- NMwritergal
- 10-22-16
A comprehensive history of the adverstising biz...
...and its effect on us.
The author starts at the very beginning of advertising and comes right up to the present. I found it all interesting, though I could see some people (interested in history) being more interested in the past and some people being more interested in the present (what advertising and technology is doing to us now--more in the vein of "current events.").
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1 person found this helpful