How to Do Nothing
Resisting the Attention Economy
by Jenny Odell · first published 2019
74% recommend17% neutral9% critical
Why HN recommends it
Thoughtful case for stepping off the attention-economy treadmill, tying it to attention, public space, and time outdoors. Suits people tired of productivity pressure or wanting to unplug from tech.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Nothing is harder to do these days than nothing. But in a world where our value is determined by our 24/7 data productivity . . . doing nothing may be our most important form of resistance. So argues artist and critic Jenny Odell in this field guide to doing nothing (at least as capitalism defines it). Odell sees our attention as the most precious—and overdrawn—resource we have. 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 happine
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…Good luck to y'all, I wish you well! :) [0] - I am an undergrad living in off-campus housing. Real-estate is unfortunately an expensive luxury at my time in life. [1] - I recommend Jenny Odell's book "How to do Nothing" to anyone feeling like they are on a never-ending treadmill. There are parts of it that I didn't like, but all in all, it was a good read.
on “Launch HN: Demigod (YC S19) – Build compounding habits with a dedicated coach” ↗I recently read How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell. In it she advocates we "wrest our focus from the attention economy and replant it in the public, physical realm". Chapter 4 in particular covers being…
on “The New Smoking (2021)” ↗This topic reminds me of Jenny Odell's "How to Do Nothing" [1]. The book links the attention economy with the loss of public space in ways that I had never considered but now believe to be true. Consider two thoughts. First, a mall is not a true public space.…
on “Parks and Houses for the People” ↗"How to do nothing"
on “Ask HN: What are some of the best books you have read in 2022?” ↗…reading that might change your mind: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff. Another book I really recommend is Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing - Resisting the Attention Economy. You make good points and I am not arguing with you, but I found theses two books really convinced me that some balance is required, and worthwhile.
on “No cookie consent walls, scrolling isn’t consent, says EU data protection body” ↗Jenny Odell -- how to do nothing: https://medium.com/@the_jennitaur/how-to-do-nothing-57e100f5...
on “Ask HN: Burned out and almost financially independent. What to do next?” ↗Allow me to recommend Jenny Odell's book, How to Do Nothing[1], or watch a ~30m talk by Jenny[2] 1 https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600671/how-to-do-no... 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dveUrpp6vs8
on “Instagram, TikTok, and the Three Trends” ↗Why we sleep. This book motivated me to change my sleep habits after decades of being a night owl. I’m starting to love early mornings, and I feel so much better. This was a hard change. How to do nothing. About resisting the attention economy and reorienting one’s relationship with technology and the environment. A very thought provoking and timely read, especially while I’m on sabbatical. Flow. Explores…
on “Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?” ↗I'd suggest reading How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell [1]. I think it addresses some of the concerns you have. 1. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42771901
on “The Project Gutenberg Open Audiobook Collection” ↗A related book is the wonderful _How to do Nothing_, by Jenny Odell. If a book seems too much in these busy times, she has a medium post on the same theme.
on “What raising an orphaned owl taught me about our broken bond with nature” ↗"How to do nothing" by Jenny Odell is such a great book. Probably not for the usual reader of Hacker News, but I strongly recommend it to anyone who also starts to feel the fake "productivity" pressure imposed by the attention…
on “Reclaiming the Web with a Personal Reader” ↗check out How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (Odell, Jenny) ... the punchline is that it is always there, you just have to find a reason to not want it. Also, going through the feature checklist on https://www.dumbphones.org/…
on “A practical guide to quitting your smartphone” ↗If you enjoyed this post, you might also like these books that expand on the same concept: * _Hyperculture: The Human Cost of Speed_ by Stephen Bertman * _How to Do Nothing_ by Jenny Odell The first book more than the 2nd, but the 2nd book is still a lovely read that may help you figure out for yourself how to practically deal with the pacing of modern life.
on “A Society That Lost Focus” ↗Neat! I've been reading How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell and enjoying it. It's a bit political for my liking but overall a good reminder to pause and set aside time to just "be" and shelve the programmed drive to constantly be productive as in…
on “Nothing: Simply Do Nothing” ↗…own > crap, so you have to deal with it.” But that time > also taught my dad about creativity, and the state > of openness, nothing, maybe even boredom, that it > requires. From Jenny Odell's "how to do nothing". It's worth reading the whole thing. https://medium.com/@the_jennitaur/how-to-do-nothing-57e100f5...
on “Ask HN: How do you fight through the monotony of daily life?” ↗