Attention
“Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.”
–Jose Ortega y Gasset
The Classic Wisdom for the Modern Human Self Study Guide is about disconnecting from the competing stimuli in your outer world to reconnect to your inner world. It’s about the fear of missing “in” rather than the fear of missing out (FOMO).
Paying attention to yourself and learning about what makes you, you will not be quick nor easy because it includes spending time alone, quietly, and reflectively which many people find intimidating or downright scary to consider.
For many others, attention to oneself is simply not a priority, what with so many other interesting things that capture our attention outside of ourselves and how busy we like to be (usually to stave off anxiety and boredom).
“To be that self which one truly is”
–Soren Kierkegaard
Learning about oneself through focused attention inward is also challenging because it requires honesty and courage to accept unpleasant or uncomfortable discoveries, though one may also find answers that free one from suffering and pain.
Many of our unhealthy habits are deeply ingrained, and important truths are buried without our conscious awareness, which is why Part I of Landscapes for Learning’s Classic Wisdom for the Modern Self Study Guide is about paying attention to attention. Learning about the nature of attention and one’s own attention to better understand and manage it will bring optimal personal growth and wellness.
Paying Attention is Self-Defense
It’s downright frightening that artificial intelligence can control your attention: where you look, what you look at, and manipulate your perceptions and feelings about what you’re paying attention to, to nudge you in particular directions while fooling you that you made your own choice– if you allow it.
How can you make sure that you can choose who influences you?
What’s your best defense?
Begin with Part I of the Classic Wisdom for the Modern Human Self Study Guide and learn how to examine your own attention to understand its value and thereby what you value which is what matters most in your life. Get offline, get with yourself, and study your human nature.
Values
When you understand the nature of attention and learn about your own you attention, you become more consciously aware of exactly what it is you are aiming at, focused on, believe in, and live by.
Attention is linked to your values, thereby directly linked to your priorities, goals, actions, and habits. When you own your attention consciously, you can take responsibility for it and better manage and control it for more wellness.
When you get to know yourself better from self study, inside and out, you will gain deeper understanding of your nature, becoming more likely to trust your own judgment, rather than helplessly relying on others, developing unhealthy and excessive external dependencies, or allowing yourself to become a victim of manipulation.
Learning more about your attention by paying attention to attention in Part I of the Classic Wisdom for the Modern Human Self Study Guide will empower you to know who you are to be wise and well.
