Attention Economy

Biological Parallel

Herbert Simon: 'Attention is the scarce resource.' Biology demonstrates this constantly—predators miss prey outside their attentional focus, pollinators visit salient flowers, mates choose conspicuous displays. The economy: organisms compete for limited attentional bandwidth. Aposematic species (bright warning colors) win attention through salience. Camouflaged species evade attention through crypsis. Sexual selection is attention competition—peacock tails, bird songs, firefly flashes. Fitness follows attention. In ecosystems crowded with signals, being noticed is survival. Attention isn't a metaphor; it's a currency with exchange rates measured in reproductive success.