Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--And How to Think Deeply Again

Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention and How to Think Deeply Again is a 2022 book by Swiss-British author Johann Hari. In this work, Hari investigates factors that help and hinder concentration and attention, arguing that people are steadily losing their ability to focus. Hari asserts that there are 12 main reasons behind this major societal change; the book is dedicated to exploring these factors. Stolen Focus also includes anecdotes from Hari’s own life as he struggles to find the right balance between using technology, protecting his attention span, and caring for his own mental and physical health to preserve his focus.

This study guide refers to the Kindle edition of this book.

Plot Summary

In his introduction, Hari reveals his chagrin at his reliance on his own devices and his inability to concentrate as well as he used to. Observing his godson’s similar dependence on his phone prompted Hari to wonder how modern technology has changed how people think and behave, especially in terms of their ability to focus. Hari contends that diminishing attention spans are a significant crisis that has individual and societal consequences, ranging from feelings of frustration and purposelessness to an inability to collaborate and solve pressing problems.