Why attention might be the biggest bottleneck to human progress

And what it will take to move beyond the Industrial Age.

We are in a major transition

I recently listened to an incredible podcast with Albert Wenger (sadly only available in German) and immediately picked up his open-source book The World After Capital, which turned out to meaningfully tie together everything I’ve been exploring lately: societal shifts, AI, the future of work, web3, the climate crisis, purpose, optimism, and mindfulness.

Overall, Wenger argues that we’re in the midst of a major societal shift from the Industrial Age to what he calls the Knowledge Age, driven largely by rapid technological advancement. Just like the transitions from the Forager Age to the Agrarian Age, and later to the Industrial Age, this one will change everything: how we live, work, what we value, even how we understand being human.

And yet, this moment holds real possibility. If we make the right choices now, we can build a future where automation serves us all, where we overcome the climate crisis, and where more people are free to learn, care, and create.

But to get there, we first have to understand what’s holding us back. And for Wenger, the biggest bottleneck to human progress today is attention.

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Attention is the new scarcity

Albert Wenger puts into sharp focus that our most scarce resource today is no longer capital but it is our attention. Most of our collective focus is consumed by superficial distractions, media overload, and the urgency of maintaining a job-consumption cycle.

Very little of our attention goes toward the deeper questions: What is our purpose? How do we tackle the climate crisis? What does AI mean for humanity?

Markets are great at allocating capital but they fail miserably at allocating attention. There’s no price mechanism for sitting with existential questions, contributing to shared knowledge, or reflecting on what kind of life we want to live.

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When attention runs out

Reading it, I thought: yep, that’s exactly it. As I wrote in Work Shift, the past few years of my life were dominated by logistics: work, relationships, emails, errands, admin. I was constantly juggling everything, but feeling increasingly disconnected from the things I actually care about.

When all your time is eaten up by wage work and survival mode, there’s no space left for reflection or contribution. I found myself increasingly frustrated by how little attention was left to focus on the things that truly matter.

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The systemic implications

If we can’t reclaim our attention, we won’t be able to meet the challenges ahead. We’ll stay locked in reactive mode, focused on short-term survival instead of long-term vision. This attention crisis affects everything from how we address the climate crisis to how we show up in democratic processes to how we find purpose in a world flooded with noise.

Wenger’s concern is that without a radical shift, we risk repeating the turbulence that marked past societal transitions but this time with higher stakes. And yet, there’s a deep fear of change and an even deeper lack of imagination.

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A positive vision

That’s why we need more than policy tweaks or surface-level reforms. What Wenger calls for from politicians is something much harder to come by: a positive vision.

The Industrial Age is past its expiration date. And yet, our institutions still cling to its logic (focusing on GDP, jobs, productivity) as if the world hasn’t radically changed. Mainstream politics, locked in short-termism, can’t see beyond the next election cycle. And many people, understandably afraid of change, turn to populist parties that promise a simple fix: just go back to how things were.

But nostalgia won’t solve the challenges ahead. Without a compelling vision of where we’re going, we can’t summon the courage to let go of what no longer works.

What we lack is the collective will to build a new system for a new era. One that recognizes attention as the foundation for meaningful progress. One that gives people the space to learn, reflect, and contribute beyond just producing and consuming.

For Wenger it’s clear that radical transformations are necessary if we are to successfully navigate this new era and avoid the societal disruptions that marked previous historical shifts.

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Progress comes from experimentation

But it’s not just up to policymakers or tech leaders. This shift is something each of us can help shape through how we spend our time, what we give our attention to, and the values we choose to embody.

Rather than waiting for a master plan or a universal vision to emerge, we should remember progress comes from experimentation. Just as capitalism evolved by unleashing countless entrepreneurial trials, the transition to the Knowledge Age demands the same openness to trying, failing, and iterating.

Instead of clinging to obsolete institutions or falling into apocalyptic pessimism, we must treat this as a time to prototype new ways of living, working, and organizing.

So, what now? I can’t hand you the master plan either, but here are three starting points for anyone who wants to engage with this transition more intentionally.

1. Attention is the new bottleneck, so reclaim it intentionally.

In a world of infinite noise, reclaiming your focus is a radical and necessary act. It’s the starting point for reflection, creativity, and real engagement. Start by noticing where your attention actually goes. Some of it, you might not be able to take back right now. But where could you make small shifts?

Maybe it’s leaving work early on Fridays. Maybe it’s not being on your phone in the evenings. Maybe it’s setting up a simple mindfulness practice. Tiny things that slowly bring your attention back to yourself, and to what really matters.

2. A better system starts with better assumptions.

First, we have to accept that change is coming and that radical change is necessary. We need the willingness to build a system that fits the world we’re living in now, not the one we grew up in. That means letting go of nostalgic narratives, resisting the pull of populism, and not giving in to apocalyptic thinking. Because honestly - how does that help?

Acknowledge that there are risks and there will be friction. But we don’t need to choose between denial and despair. The more useful path is to stay curious: What could a better system look like? What ideas are already out there? What assumptions do we need to update?

A better future begins with better thinking. And better thinking starts with the courage to imagine something else.

3. The future won’t be handed to us. We have to prototype it.

There won’t be a perfect master plan for the Knowledge Age. We’ll get there by experimenting: testing new models like Universal Basic Income, exploring decentralized technologies like blockchain to redistribute power to individuals, or advocating for AI that represents our rights, not corporate interests.

Progress rarely arrives fully formed. It shows up through experimentation and the courage to begin.