Consumption-centric Public Thought
In the age of consumption, the need for intentionality in seeking knowledge is a relic of the past.
The bulk of the ideas we engage with are those broadcast at us, and determined by a blend of mass media and tech algorithms - each governed by their own sense of what they think is best for us to see and consume.
We still have discussions, but often these are illusory at best, as the topics are determined by an endless churn of quickening news cycles and shortened attention spans.
When you consider private content production, the trend has gone from long monologues and discussions on platforms like YouTube, to shorter and shorter bites of information on new, faster platforms.