Peak intelligence might be watching TV while scrolling your phone
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👋 Hey dumdums,
I was "watching" the latest season of Stranger Things last week when I realized something horrifying. I could tell you every plot point despite spending 90% of the episode scrolling through TikTok. Maya Hawke's Robin literally recapped the entire story three times per episode, like she was reading me bedtime stories while I played Candy Crush.
My first instinct was shame. Am I destroying my attention span? Ruining the art of television? Becoming the exact cultural zombie everyone warned me about?
Then it hit me: What if this isn't cultural decay at all? What if "background noise" TV is actually the most sophisticated media innovation in decades?
The Dumb Lens
Everyone's freaking out about "dumbed down" TV shows designed for distracted viewers. Jameela Jamil called it a "directive from big studios" to oversimplify plots so people can follow along while doomscrolling. Critics are mourning the death of complex storytelling.
But here's what they're missing...
Creating content that works perfectly as background noise while still delivering emotional payoff isn't dumbing down—it's genius-level media design. We've accidentally invented television that functions like a well-orchestrated symphony, where you can tune in at any moment and still feel the crescendo.
The most sophisticated art doesn't demand your full attention—it rewards whatever attention you can give it.
Think about it. The greatest ambient music doesn't become boring when you focus on it; it reveals new layers. Background-friendly TV shows are doing the same thing, just in a medium we never thought could work that way. They're not failing at being prestige television—they're succeeding at being something entirely new.
The Attention Revolution Research
A recent study found that 94% of people aged 25-34 scroll while watching TV, with one-third admitting they "always" do it. Instead of fighting this behavior, streaming executives are leaning into it, creating shows that work whether you're laser-focused or half-distracted. The result? Content that's paradoxically more accessible and emotionally effective.
Shakespeare's Multitasking Audience
Elizabethan theater was designed for rowdy, distracted crowds who ate, drank, and heckled throughout performances. Shakespeare wrote with multiple attention levels in mind—groundlings got broad physical comedy while nobles caught subtle wordplay. Modern streaming shows are returning to this model, creating layered experiences that work for both casual and devoted viewers.
The Treadmill Desk Paradox
Studies show that people who use treadmill desks are more productive than those sitting still, despite "splitting" their attention between walking and working. The gentle physical activity actually enhances cognitive function rather than competing with it. Background TV might be doing something similar—providing just enough sensory input to keep your brain optimally engaged.
Dumb Word of the Day
Parergon (pah-RER-gon): Something that exists alongside or supplements the main work, enhancing it without competing for primary attention.
Use it in a sentence: "My phone isn't distracting me from Netflix—it's the perfect parergon to my Sunday night viewing ritual."
Pick your most demanding task today and pair it with something gentle and familiar in the background. Maybe it's answering emails while your comfort show plays, or reading while instrumental music flows. Pay attention to how the background element actually supports rather than distracts from your primary focus.
The goal isn't multitasking—it's creating the ideal cognitive environment for sustained attention. Sometimes the best way to focus is to give your brain just enough peripheral stimulation to stay engaged.
Thanks for getting dumb with me today.
Turns out the real dumbing down was the complex attention we demanded along the way.
David 🎉
