How to Do Nothing

Resisting the Attention Economy

By: Jenny Odell

Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A galvanizing critique of the forces vying for our attention - and our personal information - that redefines what we think of as productivity, reconnects us with the environment, and reveals all that we've been too distracted to see about ourselves and our world

Nothing is harder to do these days than nothing. But in a world where our value is determined by our 24/7 data productivity . . . doing nothing may be our most important form of resistance.

So argues artist and critic Jenny Odell in this field guide to doing nothing (at least as capitalism defines it). Odell sees our attention as the most precious - and overdrawn - resource we have. Once we can start paying a new kind of attention, she writes, we can undertake bolder forms of political action, reimagine humankind's role in the environment, and arrive at more meaningful understandings of happiness and progress.

Far from the simple anti-technology screed, or the back-to-nature meditation we hear so often, How to Do Nothing is an action plan for thinking outside of capitalist narratives of efficiency and techno-determinism. Provocative, timely, and utterly persuasive, this book is a four-course meal in the age of Soylent.

©2019 Jenny Odell (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

But the print copy

The message of this book could have been so powerful if the narrator was better. Buy a print copy of this book and you will get a lot more out of it. This topic is very very relevant right now though, so worth the read. Reminds us of how precious our minds, environment and culture is and how phones, apps and capitalism are changing the face of the way we live.

Interesting but sometimes repetitive and grandstanding

I enjoyed reading the book but I struggle to get to the finish line, the ideas are useful but could be condensed.

Is this a joke ? Alexa is the narrator?

I was like is this someone’s idea of irony? The anti tech book narrated by a robot ? Barely listenable. The cadence is so non human.

Narrator takes away from content

This book did not teach me how to do nothing but it had a lot of interesting stories about Oakland California and birds.

Proud of this young lady for being so educated, informed and engaged.

The reader is terribly robotic. It’s sound like Siri is reading the book. Very difficult to engage with because of that.

I am not likely to recommend this title to anyone but I’m glad to have listened to it.

Terrible narration

The person that read this has the most annoying reading voice. I can’t even get into the book because the way she reads is the worst. I’m so disappointed, and I hope they change it.

Listen to part of it first

I was surprised at how angry the tone of this book is. That it really is an activist book disguised in self help language. I believe there is some ideas of merit in here but it is bitter, angry, moralizing, politicized. Not for me. Maybe for you. Give it a try.

I prefer not to…

Within the pages there are some important messages, but unfortunately they get lost in the hyperbole and stories about birdwatching. I was disappointed the message was not more forthright and powerful as it is an important message to hear.

I was reminded more than once I was Victor Frankl’s classic book about how we can bring meaning to life.

It’s no question that social media has had an impact. It really doesn’t seem to be any clear direction where we’re headed and the book does not provide any real help.

I think the reader is a computer

I couldn’t make it past the first chapter. The computer generated voice is so cringe! Please get a real reader because I really want to hear this book.

We needed to hear this

This message is so crucial for humanity right now
In a world of tech-individualism and the commodification of our personalities abs attention-spans, we can learn to be free together again.

Engaging, Insightful and Relevant

The narration was great. It was read with appropriate inflection and just enough passion to feel sincere without distracting from the very relevant content. I really don't understand the harsh criticism of the narrator in other reviews.

If you are right leaning, you may take offense to some of her comments about how far-right groups (and Trump) have exploited the context void caused by the attention economy, but she doesn't dwell on this nor even make it into a political issue. Rather, she discusses it as a natural consequence of the situation, and I think her assessment is fair.

I felt a mix of hope and despair as the author provided important insights into the state of our collective attention. She provides calls to action to take charge of our own attention and live a more full, human life, along with suggestions on how communities can take collective action.

Overall, this is one of the most practical and actionable books I've read or listened to on this topic that can otherwise feel overwhelming to face.