Our attention spans are *not* shortening

The change we're seeing is natural and caused by abundance and choice.

If you're a hunter-gatherer in a world of scarcity one fruit tree regardless of how good or bad it is, will get a lot of your attention. The next tree may be several hours walk away.

That same hunter-gatherer in a world of abundance will be surrounded by trees and probably only spend a few minutes on each one 'till he finds one he's in the mood for.

That's what happened with information over the last 50 years.