Acedia, Technology, and the Attention Economy:

Orienting Our Lives in an Age of Distraction

Acedia or sloth seems an unlikely candidate for one of the seven deadly sins. Surely laziness is not as dangerous as greed or lust; inactivity doesn’t kill. But the term is actually a complex concept with shades of apathy, melancholy, dissipation, and distractedness—and is one of the defining vices of our time. We see in our lives how technology scatters our thinking, dissipating our ability to focus on one line of thought or goal. We’re encouraged to adopt a critically detached posture in our studies, which all too frequently quenches the love and zeal we have for the pursuit of the truth. We feel listless in our work and fear commitment in our love. This seminar series will examine how we can focus on what matters most in an increasingly competitive attention economy.

This series is co-sponsored by the Elm Institute.

Schedule

• Monday, March 8, 2021 at 8 PM Eastern: Technology and the Attention Economy

  • Dr. Peter Wicks (Elm Institute)

• Monday, March 15, 2021 at 8 PM Eastern: The Problems of Acedia: Some Historical and Contemporary Reflections on Distraction and Rest

  • Dr. Christopher Jones (Barry University)

• Monday, March 22, 2021 at 8 PM Eastern: How Does Study Train Us to Love?: Simone Weil on Training Our Attention

  • Dr. Nathaniel Peters (Morningside Institute)

• Monday, March 29, 2021 at 8 PM Eastern: Mastering Our Attention: Deep Work in an Age of Distraction

  • Dr. Nathaniel Peters (Morningside Institute)