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Numb
How the Information Age Dulls Our Senses and How We Can Get Them Back
Charles R. Chaffin
Copyright © 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data:
Names: Chaffin, Charles R., author.
Title: Numb : how the information age dulls our senses and how we can getthem back / Charles R. Chaffin.
Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : Wiley, [2021] | Includes bibliographicalreferences and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021005107 (print) | LCCN 2021005108 (ebook) | ISBN9781119774358 (hardback) | ISBN 9781119774495 (adobe pdf) | ISBN9781119774488 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Human information processing. | Distraction (Psychology) | Attention.
Classification: LCC BF444 .C43 2021 (print) | LCC BF444 (ebook) | DDC153–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021005107
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021005108
COVER DESIGN: PAUL MCCARTHY
To all who have taught me, whether scholars, students, or educators, and others who have fed my wonderment and spirit. To those closest to me – Mom, Dad, Amy, Josh, Cole, Grandma, Kostas, Ryan, Steven, Steven, Gary, Keith, David, Roger, Brian, Richard, Mike, Bob – all of whom bring love, support, and authenticity to my life. To all of the helpers.
Preface
I wrote Numb because we have too much to read.
This information age has us constantly plugged in, and yet we are feeling as disconnected as ever. There are a multitude of sources for news and information, yet we struggle to stay informed, as fact is labeled opinion and opinion is labeled as fact. Sensationalism provides a front‐row seat to the suffering of others, yet our capacity for