I'd say the technology is fuelling this and I'd cautiously say technology may have changed your attention span too. That said, technology isn't the cause it's just the enabler. Technology has enabled the "attention economy" to prosper.
The attention economy is the monetisation of my attention, your attention, our collective attention, converted to real world cash dollar. So it's hardly surprising that our attention is being diverted - everyone wants to monetise it. Every new hot silicon valley tech start-up wants a piece of your attention. When people pay attention, marketers calls it engagement, but the goal is behaviour modification that makes advertising more valuable.
Equally, there is the human condition of curiosity. Evolution developed this so we could discover new hunting grounds or pastures to graze, new medicines or drugs. That feeling of curiosity to find something new is now being satisfied (and monetised) by the mundane such as instagram stories.
What's new, what's interesting? That's what we strive for. Have you ever considered why the need to keep reinventing flight safety videos (comedy is this decade's theme) is it because we've all seen them so many times already, or is it because we are so easily distracted?
What's the ultimate distraction? Well, Ben Shneiderman invented the hyperlink which has to be the ultimate attention grabber. There would be no clickbait without Ben's invention, now there's a thought.
Here's a link: go on click on it, you know you want to
Did you read this far? Happy days! You have a pretty decent attention span, you read (283 words) It's better than mine I was barely able to finish typing th
