The doomscroll industrial complex
8 days ago
- #Digital Media
- #Doomscroll
- #Attention Economy
- The article discusses the 'Doomscroll Industrial Complex' (DIC), a system where bad news is monetized as a business model.
- Unlike traditional doom predictors, digital prophets today avoid specific wrong predictions by making general, unfalsifiable claims about impending doom.
- The DIC thrives on anxiety, creating a perpetual motion machine where any event can be interpreted as evidence of an impending apocalypse.
- This ecosystem is not just about individuals making predictions but involves a symbiotic relationship between content creators, platforms, and consumers of doom content.
- The article critiques this model for its sustainability and the psychological impact it has on individuals, fostering a constant state of anxiety.