Clutter in a Web 2.0 world

+ The Attention Crash by Steve Rubel.

The problem is that human attention, unlike technology, has limits. There are only so many digital inputs we can realistically pay quality attention to in our busy, multitasked lives. Demands for our attention have outstripped our finite supply of time. A crash is coming, folks. But this time it's not financial -- it's personal.

[snip]

The attention crisis is an epidemic. There's no more room at the inn. People will cut back. The key question is: What will they trim? Ad-supported media, or content from peers?

Some will crave the media's ability to edit; others will want to stay closer to their friends. What's unmistakable is that choices will be made. And while there seems to be no end in sight for the growth of social media, if this happens en masse, will ad revenue sag, causing a financial pullback? Possibly. There's no black-and-white answer here.

I know I'm feeling this already myself and I'm not of the Crackberry ilk. With new web apps and social sites and the like popping up daily - there is so much information to play with, it's becoming a bit overwhelming. I do think at some point there will be a crash of some sort - how that will play out is yet to be determined though. From my own experience I know I play regularly with some sites and less so with others - or until I get some email reminding me that, yes, I belong to X and I should do something with it. I would assume for most sites there is a drop off rate of a certain time where the line between heavy users becomes much more established over the infrequent users. I wonder what that time period is...there must be an average. :)