If it feels like everyone is exhausted, distracted, and running on fumes—you’re not imagining it. The last two decades took us from early MySpace and Friendster to a world where content follows us everywhere, all day, every day. For businesses, photographers, and creators, the big question becomes: how do you stand out when attention is maxed out?
This episode digs into the shift from the old “attention economy” to the emerging trust economy—and what that means for your SEO and your content.
What happened to the attention economy?
In 2008, social media went mainstream. The idea was simple:
If you could grab someone’s attention, you could monetize it.
Apps were built to keep you scrolling, clicking, and sharing. And for a while, it worked.
But today, we’re at the end of that system. People are overwhelmed. We’re collectively spending more attention than we have. And in a world of endless feeds, notifications, and algorithmically-selected content, grabbing attention isn’t valuable anymore—everyone is burnt out.
Why are so many people feeling attention-deficit symptoms?
The episode touches on something you’ve probably noticed yourself:
huge numbers of people report ADHD-like symptoms that didn’t exist at this scale 20 years ago.
Why?
- Content is constant
- Phones put it in our hands 24/7
- Algorithms serve infinite scroll
- We see a microscopic slice of the world’s content—and even that is too much
The result is mental overload. Not clinical ADHD, but a cultural version created by nonstop stimulus.
If AI is about to create even more content, what happens next?
AI can already generate scripts, visuals, ideas, and articles. As it improves, platforms will likely generate customized content automatically—no creator needed.
That means:
- More content
- Faster
- Cheaper
- More tailored to each user’s preferences
This is why 90% of generic content will be drowned out in the next few years.
So how do you avoid becoming invisible?
Are we entering the trust economy?
Yes.
Attention is no longer scarce—but trust is.
In a world where anything can be generated, faked, or automated, people don’t ask:
“Is this interesting?”
They ask:
“Is this real?” “Do I trust the person behind it?”
This is why trust becomes the new currency.
How do you create content that AI cannot generate?
This is the core of the episode:
If you want to stand out, you must publish things AI cannot copy.
Examples:
1. Case studies
AI can’t fabricate your client results or your process.
2. Times, dates, places, specifics
AI doesn’t naturally generate grounded details.
3. Your author name, credentials, biography
Link yourself to your work.
4. Your stance, philosophy, or principles
Opinions—especially strong or contrarian ones—break patterns.
5. Your lived experiences
Stories, mistakes, lessons, behind-the-scenes moments.
6. Clarity
Clarity is a huge differentiator because the internet is cluttered and confusing.
Clear, organized writing with bullet points isn’t just great for SEO, it’s great for people, and AI uses clarity signals too.
Is an AI-written blog harmful?
Yes. The episode states it plainly:
Having no blog is better than having an AI-generated blog.
A generic blog blends you into the noise.
A personal one sets you apart.
