How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy

In a world where every moment is measured by its productivity, the radical act of doing nothing stands as a powerful form of resistance. Imagine a solitary figure sitting quietly in a sprawling rose garden, surrounded by blooming roses and towering oak trees. The gentle hum of birdsong fills the air, and a forgotten smartphone lies dimly glowing on the grass — a silent testament to the constant pull of the digital world that is momentarily set aside. The potential of nothing is everything. This phrase, uttered in the context of a performance where an employee simply sat at an empty desk doing 'thought work,' encapsulates a profound truth: stepping away from the relentless demands of productivity opens a space where creativity, reflection, and genuine connection can flourish.

Consider the story of the 'Old Survivor,' a 500-year-old redwood tree that escaped the sawmill not because it was magnificent or towering, but precisely because it was twisted and small — deemed useless for timber. This 'uselessness' was its greatest strength. In capitalist terms, where value is often equated with utility and output, this tree's survival offers a metaphor for how rejecting narrow definitions of usefulness can be a form of quiet resistance. It invites us to reconsider what we value and to embrace maintenance, care, and presence as worthy ends in themselves.

Our cultural history also reminds us of the importance of non-work time. The 1886 labor movement’s demand for 'eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what we will' was a call not just for rest but for freedom — the freedom to choose how to spend our time beyond economic imperatives. This balance is essential to human flourishing. Yet, in today's digital age, the lines between work, rest, and leisure blur, often erasing the space for 'what we will.'

Practices like Deep Listening, developed as a response to social unrest, offer tools to reclaim attention. By focusing on listening to all sounds — from the ambient noises of nature to the inner workings of our own minds — we cultivate a receptive, patient attention that contrasts sharply with the fragmented, distracted state fostered by constant connectivity. Deep Listening teaches us to be fully present, to notice the overlooked, and to find peace in stillness.

These ideas coalesce into a central insight: doing nothing is not mere idleness but an active, deliberate refusal to be consumed by the attention economy. It is a form of self-care that preserves our capacity for meaningful thought and political engagement. As we begin this journey, we open the door to new ways of seeing ourselves and the world — ways grounded in care, presence, and resistance.

As we move forward, let us explore why retreating entirely from the world is not the answer, and how standing apart without fleeing offers a sustainable path to reclaiming attention and agency.