What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence, a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.

Summary

This quote, attributed to psychologist and economist Herbert Simon, emphasizes the consequence of excessive information availability. It suggests that when we are exposed to an abundance of information, our attention becomes consumed and constrained. Consequently, this leads to a poverty of attention, wherein our ability to focus and allocate our attention effectively is diminished. In a world overflowing with information sources, the quote highlights the need to efficiently manage our attention amidst this overabundance of information.

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