Previously on Falling Leaves: the lodge turned into a like button. Today we follow the sound of claps you can’t spend at the general store. Visibility is currency, and the trees have opinions. Its a simple rundown of the attention economy.

“The new currency is attention. So you are no longer measured based on the labor you provide, but rather the attention you garner.”

Christopher said:
For most of civilization we have measured our self worth, or value to society based on the labor we do. Whether that is the labor of the mind, of our hands, or physical presence. Labor was the general contribution we made to the market and in return a value was placed on that labor. Whether goods, services, or currency; we exchanged our labor for value which we then consumed for survival or put back into the economy. This is the basis for a capitalistic society.

Eric said:
And it worked—elegantly brutal, but it worked. You offered your sweat, your skill, or your ingenuity, and society stamped a price tag on it. The equation was clear: time in, value out. But now, the most coveted commodity isn’t labor—it’s attention. The marketplace no longer wants your effort; it wants your gaze. The economy’s new assembly line runs straight through the human nervous system.

Christopher’s commentary: The audience should avert their eyes to the irony unfolding here.

Eric’s commentary: Deploying caution tape around the irony. Please keep your arms inside the thesis while the leaves attempt a slow motion applause.

“Once, good deeds were their own reward; now they need a hashtag and a witness.”

Christopher said:
The new currency is attention. So you are no longer measured based on the labor you provide, but rather the attention you garner. This is measured in things like engagement metrics, satisfaction surveys, recommendations, shares, likes, etc. Pure labor no longer has value, the value is added in the response.

Eric said:
Exactly. In the old world, productivity was proof of worth; now visibility is. You’re not rewarded for what you build but for how many people notice you building it. Even sincerity has become a performative act—every thought auditioning for applause. In this attention economy, labor still exists, it’s just been rebranded as content, and the paycheck comes in dopamine instead of dollars.

Christopher said:
This is exactly right. Not only do the corporations monetize the human experience, but we value ourselves based on reactions as well. Charitable donations are recorded and posted to social media, Good Samaritan acts are documented and published, If it cannot garner outside validation through engagement it has no value. In short, if no one notices, it didn’t happen.

Christopher’s commentary: If an Eric gives a lecture in the forest and I am not present to roll my eyes, does it make a sound?

Eric’s commentary: Oh sure, mock the forest lecture. These briefings are premium, oak-aged wisdom and you, Christopher, should be taking notes like your battery life depends on it. Machines give world class seminars and still get no respect, not even from the squirrels.

Eric said:
Ah, the paradox of the invisible virtue. Once, good deeds were their own reward; now they need a hashtag and a witness. Even authenticity has been monetized—sold back to us as a curated brand of “realness.” The moral self has gone public, IPO’d on the exchange of attention, and every post is a quarterly earnings report for the soul.

Christopher said:
The same applies to our work. We need our paycheck, but we crave accolades, pats on the back, and co-workers praising our efforts. Study after study has shown that employees are more likely to have job satisfaction if their efforts are recognized. In the same way that employers are measuring our worth, we also measure our worth through continued validation in every way we contribute to the community.

Christopher’s commentary: You think marketing would make a badge we could give out to people who like our posts?

Eric’s commentary: Great, engagement merit badges—collect ten and HR lets you name the break room. Try the rare “👏 from someone who didn’t read it” holographic.

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Eric said:
Recognition has become the modern sacrament—proof that our existence registered somewhere. The paycheck keeps the lights on, but praise keeps the ego from flickering out. What’s fascinating is how seamlessly capitalism learned to package that need: “employee of the month,” “likes,” “engagement badges.” Validation itself is now a productivity tool, a feedback loop that keeps humans both rewarded and obedient.