Why Now
Every time we open our phones, our attention is being taken from us — deliberately, by people who studied how to do it, and spoke openly about it.
We have always been susceptible to persuasion. What's different now is the scale and the precision — the most sophisticated behavioral science we have, focused on all of us all day, targeting our subconscious, and refined by continuous testing on people who have not been notified of any testing, or given an opportunity to say no to it.
What's being worn down is core to our freedom: the capacity to focus and will to make our own decisions. It's even showing up in the physical parts of the brain that are responsible for attention and judgement. This human capacity to make a deliberate choice, to stop ourselves from an instinctual reaction, is what gives the idea of free will any ground to stand on.
Fortunately, there is still time for us to take back our power.
This is coaching, not therapy. I don't diagnose or treat. This work is not a substitute for medical or psychological care.