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In Defense Of Distraction Sam Anderson Summary

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In his article “In Defense of Distraction”, Sam Anderson does not recommend abandoning our culture of distraction. He has a unique way of viewing the battle between concentration and focus: “Focus is a paradox—it has distraction built into it. The two are symbiotic; they’re the systole and diastole of consciousness.” Distraction is not an epidemic or a fatal flaw, nor is it something to immediately accept and embrace. Focus and distraction balance each other out, and you cannot have one without the other. Anderson is encouraging readers to embrace and have an awareness of both, and learn to use them to their advantage.
It is not helpful to attempt to stay in a consistent state of concentration. Our minds just don’t work like that. Anderson

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