Name: Ted Talks

Year: Ted was established in 1984.

And has Ted been sharing ideas ever since? Ted – an abbreviation for Technology, Entertainment, Design – is a non-profit media organization based in the U.S. that hosts its annual conference…

Yes, and they offer motivational online talks. With the powerful tagline “Ideas change everything.”

So, what about them? They are concise.

A lecture? Above all? Historically speaking.

How brief are they? Just 6 minutes.

Who do you refer to? That’s Elif Shafaq.

Turkish and British authors? She’s a novelist, essayist, public speaker, and activist. She spoke at the Hay Festival in Wales.

What did she say? When she first delivered a Ted Talk, she was allowed 19 minutes, but after a decade, the limit was reduced to a strict 13.

Why? That’s what she asked Ted.

And what did Ted reply? According to Shafaq, Ted responded:

How did that make her feel? “It’s disheartening. We can’t engage for more than a few minutes,” she noted, pointing out that we live “in the age of hyperinformation.”

Is it too much to handle? Exactly. “We’re unable to process so much information,” she added. “In the long run, we may lose compassion, leading to fatigue, decreased morale, and paralysis.”

My goodness, sounds severe. Is it true our attention spans have diminished? The absence of longitudinal studies means we can’t be certain, but the public appears to believe so.

Do tell me more. But let’s continue along that line. Research from King’s College London in 2022 found that 49% of individuals think their attention spans are decreasing, while 50% say they can’t stop checking their phones…

Probably young people. Not just them; it’s also a challenge for middle-aged individuals. Moreover, 50% believe the typical adult attention span today is merely 8 seconds.

Sorry, what were we discussing again? The short attention span.

Oh yes, I figured as much. But how about books? Are they getting shorter too? Interestingly, a 2015 survey suggested books are now 25% longer than they were 15 years ago.

I can relate, but something is changing. Nonetheless, this year’s longlist for the international booker prize features eight books with fewer than 200 pages.

What about movies? Surely they’re getting longer? The simple answer is: No. A slightly longer explanation: likely due to marketing strategies, as studios aim to increase ticket sales.

Wait, so it seems our attention is waning while films are getting longer? Very astute. Someone should address this in a Ted Talk.

Say: “Can I make a difference in just 13 minutes?”

Don’t say: “Hurry, you’re running out of time.”