In his article, “The Economics of Attention: Style and Substance in the Age of Information,” Richard Lanham discusses the transition of the world from one of “stuff,” or material products, to one of “fluff” or information. Lanham describes how society has begun to focus less on reality and more on what the meaning behind that reality. For instance, he exemplifies the popular television series “Antiques Roadshow,” which attracts curious antique owners who seek information about the value and history of their possessions. Above all, says Lanham, they want to know about their items’ style, for “the hunger for stuff is paralleled by a hunger for style. Modern “materialism” turns out to be an intellectualized, spiritualized affair.”
The article goes on to discuss several other features of new age consumerism. One such feature is the overwhelming amount of information available to internet consumers. Says Lanham, “We’re drowning in it. There is too much information around to make sense of it all. Everywhere we look, we find information overload.” On top of all of the information available through our computers, we are additionally bombarded by print media, television, and every in-person and telephone conversation we have. Our lives have become a product of our constant absorbance of information- whether publicly broadcasted or privately sought out. I find it no surprise that so many people become burnt out, spiraling into depression or midlife crises, when our lives have become packed to the brim with society’s ideas of success and productivity. The need to relax, an element of peace central to a happy life, has dissipated and has been replaced instead by a need to “do.”
This influx of media, notes Lanham, has also created the phenomena of the celebrity persona. We devote so much of our time, energy and attention to individuals who, whether through luck or hard work and talent, have acquired a prime spot in the public sphere. The issue the article raises is that if such a small percentage of the population occupy this media arena, what about the rest of us? While many do achieve their own “fifteen minutes of fame,” what happens to the others who may deserve equal recognition, but never attain it? To this question, I must answer that I personally do not think the world’s perception of celebrity limelight is accurate. I believe the majority of the media to be an illusion, an inaccurate depiction of what glamour and perfection mean. It is crucial to remember that while the life of a celebrity has numerous perks, it comes with a high price, often compromising the dignity, free will happiness, and sometimes even sanity, of those individuals to whom we hold in the highest regard.
Continuing with this idea is the human desire for attention. Lanham states:
As I write this, we are in the midst of a worldwide terrorist campaign that seeks, at least as its proximate reward, more attention from “the media.” Behind it lie plans, we are told, for eventual worldwide conquest, but the immediate goal is media attention. A more narrowly focused terror campaign was recently pursued by a sniper on the East Coast of the United States who toyed with the media to gain atten- tion.And these two campaigns, large and small, have lots of company in the disgruntled teenager who brings a shotgun to school to kill the teacher and a few classmates and thus gain the attention so churlishly denied him by his peers. Or in the employees, vexed by the daily abrasions of work, who arrive at the same solution. They are all crimes of attention, trying to get more of that commodity, as surely as Jesse James was trying to get more money from banks and trains. They want to prove that they are truly alive, not by getting rich but by being on television. Andy Warhol, in suggesting fifteen minutes of fame for each of us, pointed out the paradox in his characteristically indirect way. If you redistribute this subspecies of wealth, fame ceases to be fame.
Not only do I agree with this excerpt, but I appreciate Lanham’s acknowledgment of this growing human need for attention. We all want to be recognized for our accomplishments, but at what point do we reject anonymity and demand wide scale attention? How much must a person be ignored before he or she snaps and does something extreme to satisfy the thirst for attention? Although everyone yearns for their fifteen minutes, the equal distribution of fame would, in the end, destroy its very nature.
I think instead it is important for society to work on creating a balance. The media and its stars will always exist in our lives, and it is inevitable that they will continue to capture our admiration and attention. Nonetheless, if we devote some of that focus to other areas of our lives, I believe we as individuals will feel more fulfilled. Instead of spending our mornings watching talk shows and our afternoons reading tabloids, we should concentrate more time on ourselves and our personal interests. Reading a novel or going on a run may not achieve us any fame, but at the very least, we will gain a stronger sense of personal accomplishment.