WELCOME TO the ATTENTIONAL RESISTANCE
Be part of the change, reclaim the attention around you, and help strengthen a sustainable relationship with technology.
ATTENTIONAL RESISTANCE: THE RIGHT TO ONE'S OWN ATTENTION
If the extractive economy treats our attention as a resource to be exploited and traded, Attentional Resistance seeks to return it to whom it belongs: each individual.
To resist is to reclaim autonomy. After all, it is our attention that directs our thoughts, creates values, and helps shape who we are.
The One Minute of Your Attention initiative strengthens this movement by making the forces that compete for this valuable resource visible, expanding the repertoire for confronting them and advocating for fairer relationships with technology.
A MOVEMENT IS MADE TOGETHER
We are competing against billions of dollars, specialized teams, and AIs trained to vie for our attention. It's a battle too unequal to be won individually.
Therefore, we need to create attentional reserves: spaces and moments protected from commercial logic, where attention can exist fully and genuinely. And, just as there are environmentalists, we also need "attentionists" to help defend it.
ATTENTION IS LIKE WATER
That which receives it grows;
that which does not receive it, withers.
This applies to talents, relationships, concerns, companies, ideologies… Attention nourishes whatever it touches. It's not just in the attention we give, but also in the attention we receive. And, like water, it circulates, it's always in motion. It's in the rivers, in the sea, but it's also in the air we breathe, forming part of a cycle that unites everything.
CULTURAL CHANGE
First, we need to identify and name the problem: attention extraction (also known as human fracking). The more people recognize it, the more they can choose technologies that benefit them.
This also requires treating attention as a valuable and finite resource, creating spaces where it can exist without being exploited or commercialized. This shift in awareness, values, and habits is the foundation of attentional resistance and the first step toward cultural transformation.
POLITICAL CHANGE
We need laws that limit attention extraction and bring the idea of sustainability to the attention economy, for all ages.
This involves regulating the techniques used to capture our attention and intimacy, the limits of data collection, and the right to customization and transparency. Just as with natural resources, the extraction of attention also needs to have limits.
structural change
Today, the success of digital platforms is measured by screen time and engagement. The more attention they capture, the more profit they make, even if that doesn't correspond to what is good for humanity.
Structural change involves aligning these incentives with human interests: creating models in which companies thrive while also generating greater well-being for people and the planet.
Just One More Minute
Monthly meetings to share experiences and discuss the topic. An open space to build alternative paths (currently available only in Portuguese. For English, we recommend Friends of Attention).
ATTENTIONISTS
Our community keeps the conversation open between meetings.
A channel for exchanging references, questions, concerns, opportunities, and ideas in a lively way.
Donate
Your contribution helps UMDSA continue researching, producing content, and bringing this discussion to new audiences.
Every bit of value keeps the movement alive, active, and capable of expanding this conversation.
Rescuing your attention starts here and now.
Access the pedagogical guide here.
Access the Book's Sources here.
START WITH YOUR OWN ATTENTION
01
Don't blame yourself. Don't blame the children.
Our attention isn't just competing with our willpower. There are technologies, algorithms, and entire teams working to keep us connected.
Understanding this structure helps to replace guilt and frustration with awareness.
02
Buy an alarm clock.
It seems like a small change, but it prevents your cell phone from being the first thing you reach for when you wake up.
Starting the day before turning on screens can change your relationship with everything that comes after.
03
Create cell phone-free zones.
Choose spaces where cell phones aren't allowed, such as the bedroom, bathroom, or dining table.
You don't need to transform the entire house. Start by protecting one area.
04
Establish times when your cell phone is off the table.
It seems like a small change, but it prevents your cell phone from being the first thing you reach for when you wake up.
Starting the day before turning on screens can change your relationship with everything that comes after.
05
Don't avoid it. Replace it.
Taking away your phone without offering something else to replace it can turn the break into deprivation.
Keep a book nearby, suggest an activity, cook, draw, go for a walk, or have a conversation. The idea is not just to create screen-free time, but time worth living.
06
Think of your attention as a muscle.
Reading, drawing, playing an instrument, meditating, or engaging in any activity that requires continuity helps to exercise the ability to concentrate.
You don't need to start with an hour. Start with a few minutes and stay a little longer each time.