How the Attention Economy Is Devouring Gen Z — and the Rest of Us

Ezra Klein interviews Kyla Scanlon about the economics of attention, particularly as it relates to Gen Z. Scanlon discusses the lack of predictable progress felt by young people, leading to worry and nihilism, and introduces her "barbell theory" of Gen Z's economic responses: tool belt pragmatism versus meme coin speculation. They delve into the impact of social media and AI on the job market, the scarcity of truth in an age of abundant information, and the idea of attention as infrastructure. The conversation explores potential policy responses to AI-driven job displacement, the role of speculation in the attention economy, and the increasing friction in the physical world compared to the curated digital sphere. They also touch on Trump's governance style as an embodiment of the attention economy and the importance of strategic versus extractive uses of attention, ending with book recommendations that reflect on meaning, loss, and taking chances.