How to Do Nothing

Resisting the Attention Economy

by Jenny Odell

Published May 21, 2019

ISBN:: 978-1-61219-749-4

(4 reviews)

In a world where addictive technology is designed to buy and sell our attention, and our value is determined by our 24/7 data productivity, it can seem impossible to escape. But in this inspiring field guide to dropping out of the attention economy, artist and critic Jenny Odell shows us how we can still win back our lives.

Odell sees our attention as the most precious—and overdrawn—resource we have. And we must actively and continuously choose how we use it. We might not spend it on things that capitalism has deemed important … but once we can start paying a new kind of attention, she writes, we can undertake bolder forms of political action, reimagine humankind’s role in the environment, and arrive at more meaningful understandings of happiness and progress.

Far from the simple anti-technology screed, or the back-to-nature meditation we read so often, How to do Nothing is an …

Far from the simple anti-technology screed, or the back-to-nature meditation we read so often, How to do Nothing is an action plan for thinking outside of capitalist narratives of efficiency and techno-determinism. Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this book will change how you see your place in our world.

1 edition

Lily reviewed How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

Review of 'How to Do Nothing' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

Pretentious, inconsistent and unpragmatic. Four Thousand Weeks is a much better philosophical self help book, while Stolen Focus is a much better deep dive on the technology industry. This occupies a fluffy area in the middle, where the only practical advice given is to start birdwatching.

There are glimmers of interesting points about the impact of social media on activism and how the attention economy disproportionately affects different groups, but that is overshadowed by the rest. There are half baked ideas throughout, e.g. bioregionalism - given half a page of explanation before she strays off into waffle again. Frequent diversions to talk about modern and performance art honestly alienate all but those that are fully immersed in that sphere (that is not inherent to the topic - it is her tone that makes it unrelatable). Overall an unsatisfying read with little to take away from it.

oxytocin reviewed How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

Way better than I expected

5 stars

Not a “self-help” book, it is a call to action. There were some pretty good ideas in there, and helpful references/anecdotes.

Caliwegian reviewed How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

Unique and Intriguing

4 stars

An artist's perspective on the commodification of attention and potential paths of resistance by seeking a deeper connection to the local environment.

Kantolope reviewed How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

Doing Nothing is a Lot of Work

4 stars

A fantastic work of cultural critique with some deep ecology thrown in to fill the void where apps used to be. It gets a little unfocused near the end, but the fist 75% is so good. It provides an excellent overview on generative refusal, amateur ecology, and community connectedness presented from the point of view of a tech enthusiast turned bird-watcher.

Subjects

attention