Impact of Attention Span on Media: Quality vs
. Shock Value
School
Tidewater Community College**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
CST 100
Subject
Communications
Date
Dec 11, 2024
Pages
3
Uploaded by AmbassadorFlamingoMaster1240
Ily S. CastilloMs. Rhonda BowenPublic SpeakingFebruary 18, 2024Assignment: Oral versus Written StyleIn the same interview, Dr. Gloria Mark speaks on how this change in our attentionspan has also resulted in a shift regarding the type of media we consume. Movieshave adapted new ways of shooting, given their purpose is to capture the attentionof its viewers for, at the very least, an hour and forty minutes (roughly, sixthousand, one hundred and twenty seconds—which is, approximately, one hundredand thirty times our current attention span).This has translated into streaming services, ruling out the chances of little adbreaks in between episodes. The need for continuous, unstopped entertainmenthas tinted the actual form of gratification. Not only has television been the oneaffected by this epidemic, but literature has also fallen to this lie that it needs to beconstantly re-inventing itself in a way that is shocking or pulling, no matter if itcompromises its values and/or standards.In other words, quality is being traded for shock value.A Good Story Transcends Shock Valueby Maria Popova explains how a story isnot merely the reaction it causes. “A great story doesn't merely trigger thisdissonance, it helps us resolve the tension. And that requires context, analysis and
reflection,” Popova says.This new phenomena is seen all over books that have been published in thelast two decades, which is when social media started to grow into a force to bereckoned with, but specially in the last few years. With the rise of media platformslike Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok, things that were stigmatized in the past, suchas reading, have finally received their desired ugly duckling transformation andhave become not only popular, but trends that people now follow.Speech VersionIn this interview, Dr. Gloria Mark states that this change in our attention span hasalso resulted in a shift regarding the media we consume. Movies have adapted newways of shooting, since their purpose is to capture the attention of its viewers for,at the least, an hour and forty minutes—approximately, one hundred and thirtytimes our current attention span.This has resulted into the creation of streaming services which eliminate thechances of little ad breaks. Literature as well has fallen victim to this lie that itneeds to be constantly re-inventing itself in a way that is shocking or pulling, nomatter if it compromises its values and/or standards.In other words, quality is being traded for shock value.In her article A Good Story Transcends Shock ValueMaria Popova explains howa story is not just the reaction it causes. “A great story doesn't merely trigger this
dissonance, it helps us resolve the tension. And that requires context, analysis andreflection,” she says.We see this change all over books published in the last two decades, which iswhen social media started to grow, but specially in the last few years. With the riseof media platforms, things that were ridiculed in the past have finally received theirdesired ugly duckling transformation and have become not only popular, buttrends that people follow.