Vatican calls for a renewal of attention in the age of clickbait

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication has unveiled the theme for the 61st World Day of Social Communications: “A New Gaze: Paying Attention in the Age of Clickbait.”

With this theme, the Vatican will invite people “to reflect on Christ’s compassionate gaze as a way of overcoming the superficiality of relationships,” Vatican News reported.

In a statement released Tuesday, Sept. 29 , the Vatican warned that the so-called “attention economy,” in its struggle “for a few moments of interest amid the rapid and endless flow of content,” is transforming “not only our cognitive abilities but also the depth of our interpersonal communication.”

The reflection comes at a particularly significant moment for communicators, as social media and digital platforms reward speed, immediate emotion, and controversy while listening and thoughtful analysis are often pushed aside. Faced with this reality, the Vatican proposes an authentic “conversion of our gaze.”

“We are called to a conversion of our gaze: to look again, with attention and with love. Only in this way will we be able to see the world, others, and even ourselves, as Christ sees us: called by name and loved,” the message…