We have all become addicted to our phones, scrolling on social media and constantly checking our emails. We are almost permanently distracted. This is having disastrous consequences for our ability to live the good life. To remedy this, we must treat attention as a skill, and practice at it just like we would any other, writes Wayne Wu.
In 2019, 3,142 lives were lost in accidents in the U.S. due to distracted driving. Yet, this tragic figure is likely to not alter driving behavior. While driving, we constantly glance at our phones, fiddle with the sound system or climate control while speeding along, typically with no negative consequences. We would adamantly attest to keeping our eyes well enough on the road, confident that if something were to demand our attention, we would automatically notice—or so we hope.
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