---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When information is cheap, attention…"
description: "\"When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.\" — James Gleick"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/james-gleick-2623_attention_when-information-is-cheap-attention-beco_891229.jpg"
---

#  When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.

![“When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” quote by James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/james-gleick-2623_attention_when-information-is-cheap-attention-beco_891229.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/james-gleick-2623_attention_when-information-is-cheap-attention-beco_891229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/james-gleick-2623_attention_when-information-is-cheap-attention-beco_891229.jpg)

> “When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.”

[James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When information is abundant, people's focus becomes a scarce resource, making attention valuable.

**In simple terms:** Information overload makes attention costly.

Key Takeaway

Protect and prioritize your attention.

Themes

media technology attention economy

Mood

thoughtful urgent

Type

analytical informative

When to use this quote

- marketing
- education
- personal productivity

Key Concepts

cognitive load scarcity

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you guard against attention traps?
- What habits improve focus?

A Different Perspective

Attention can be manipulated by algorithms.

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[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-expensive-1150546/) [Cheap Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheap-attention-1150547/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expensive/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Information Cheap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information-cheap-1150548/)

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