The Attention Merchants

What Hacker News says

1. absoluteunit1Apr 2026
   > I think most users of websites like reddit, x, and yes even HN don't realize how much traffic is inorganic.

   Came here to say this - I have always been extremely cautious and assumed most things online were just marketing tactics. But I never realize how far and how strategic some of these campaigns are.

   I’ve recently started really getting my hands dirty with marketing for an app I’m building and the things I’ve learned in the past year have made me questions many of my views on things. At some point you realize that it’s all marketing or some form of effort to exert influence.

   A good book somewhat related to this is Attention Merchants

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2. baxtrApr 2025
   Yes. Exactly right.

   Also well documented. Anyone interested, read the book: Attention Merchants by Wu.

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3. thenerdheadAug 2023
   I really enjoyed Stolen Focus. But that's because I wrote a similar book the same year.

   Some of the most thought-provoking resources on this topic in my opinion are:

   - Amusing Ourselves to Death

   - Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television

   - The Century of the Self

   - The Shallows

   - The Attention Merchants

   - Much of William James philosophy

   If anyone wants a copy of my book "Enough. Seeking less in a world of more." Send me an email and I'll gladly send you a free copy.

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4. baxtrFeb 2023
   I can recommend the book “Attention Merchants” by Tim Wu.

   People get used to Ads in any format over time like you noticed. But the fight for our attention will never stop.

   So in Google’s case, maybe their model won’t work in the future. The ad money will go somewhere else.

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5. t3eOct 2022
   I'm currently reading Tim Wu's "The Attention Merchants" about the history of advertising and can't recommend it enough. It's not a happy or encouraging story, however.
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6. t3eOct 2022
   I posted this on a different topic recently and it's apropos again: I'm currently reading Tim Wu's "The Attention Merchants" about the history of advertising and can't recommend it enough. It's informative, thoughtful, and well-written, but not a happy or encouraging story, alas.
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