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--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
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--- name: Attention slug: attention type: cognitive resource status: running version: 4.2.1 released: "~200,000 BCE" maintainer: prefrontal_cortex <pfc@homo-sapiens.local> dependencies: - consciousness - working_memory - threat_detection - caffeine (optional, frequently required) license: Biological Commons v1.0 (non-transferable, non-refundable) tags: - perception - cognition - finite_resource - highly_contested - economy_of_mind ---
A narrow beam of consciousness that you can only point at one thing at a time, despite what the multitasking discourse would have you believe.
Attention operates as a selective filter over incoming sensory data, cortical memory, and internal narrative. The system runs two primary modes:
A third mode, default mode, activates when neither of the above is running. This is where daydreaming lives. It is not idle. The system has not crashed. It is doing background work. Leave it alone.
| Bug | Frequency | Workaround |
|---|---|---|
| Attentional capture by irrelevant stimuli | Constant | Remove the phone from the room |
| Inattentional blindness | Common | Expect to miss things. Plan for it. |
| Rumination loop | Very common | None reliable |
| Ego depletion after sustained effort | Daily | Sleep. Actual sleep. |
| Divided attention feels like multitasking | Universal | It is not. Stop. |
# /etc/attention/defaults.conf
span_seconds: 20 # median before drift; adjust expectations
restore_method: sleep # recommended; caffeine is a workaround not a fix
threat_priority: high # hardcoded, cannot be lowered
social_stimuli_weight: elevated # also hardcoded
notifications_allowed: false # aspirational default
ATT-001 Resource exhausted. Yield to rest.
ATT-002 Context switch overhead exceeded threshold. Slow down.
ATT-003 Capture by irrelevant input. Source unclear.
ATT-404 Focus not found. Default mode network has taken over.
ATT-999 Recursive self-monitoring loop detected. Stop watching yourself try to pay attention.
Q: Can I improve my attention span? A: Yes. Remove competing inputs. Boredom is a prerequisite, not a symptom.
Q: Is attention the same as interest? A: No. You can attend to things you hate. You often do.
Q: Why does everyone want mine? A: Because it is finite. Finite things become currency. See: the attention economy.