Hyperbole's role in the attention economy and its potential dangers
via Mmegi3 min read
In the current digital landscape, hyperbole, characterized by phrases like "the most, the best, the worst, the deadliest," has become a dominant form of communication. Author Mbongeni Mguni argues that this exaggeration is the primary currency of the attention economy, a multi-billion dollar industry driven by social media and content creators vying for user engagement. While seemingly harmless, Mguni suggests that this reliance on hyperbole carries inherent dangers. For influencers, it serves as a tool to gain prominence, while for less scrupulous actors, it facilitates deceptive practices on various social media platforms. The article highlights how the need to capture attention, which directly translates to revenue, has made hyperbole an essential, yet potentially perilous, element of online interaction.
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