I'm sure many of you can relate to me when I say I have a short attention span. As somebody living in the modern age where I can consume hundreds of different videos on TikTok in minutes, I find it hard to settle down to watch a film or read a book on just one subject. But why has the way we consume media changed so much? Through this article I want to investigate why short-form content has exploded in popularity, and how this could lead to the death of traditional forms of media.
So why is this a problem? Firstly it feeds into clickbait culture. In an era where views and engagement online is the main goal, the increased production of short-form content leads to both sensationalism and exaggeration in efforts to grab an audience’s attention in such a short timeframe. This is why we tend to see inaccurate headlines designed to shock us into watching, which leads to our superficial engagement with content. As well as this, I'm sure many of you find yourself becoming bored easily, and feel the need to scroll endlessly, or speed up the videos you watch on TikTok. This is because short-form content lends itself to rapid consumption leading to our newfound decreased attention spans.
Of course, the popularization of short-form content can also be a positive thing. It is easily accessible meaning we can share and learn new information with millions across the globe leading to human connection only made possible by the power of the internet. We can also consume TikTok videos on the go, meaning during any downtime, whether that be breaks at uni or work, as well as commutes, we can be easily entertained. Short-form content is also incredibly easy to create, meaning anybody has the ability to engage with this. This has led to the creation of new and interesting storytelling techniques, visual effects, and filters to adapt to this new form of media.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the need to scroll and consume mindlessly, but I wanted to share some of the positives and negatives of short-form content to inspire all of you to think about how TikTok and other social media may have affected your attention span. I believe It is always worth taking some time to prioritize long form content, as this is often richer and more engaging, once I force myself to stop scrolling.