On Attention, Cute Dogs, and What Matters

The attention we seek, the attention we give, and the meaning we make

Hi. I’m Andrew. I write fluffy pieces usually about dogs. I create cute books with colourful pictures also of dogs. That’s all good. We need joy, right? But I’ve always found it necessary to question the purpose of the work that I do. If I’m creating something to be consumed, I’m taking into account that I’m consuming somebody’s time, somebody’s attention. Is the work I’m creating worth their time? As the world gets heavier, that question becomes more relevant. After all, what we do with our precious time shapes who we are, and shapes our world.

World events are constantly shaping our future. Wildfires, the current political climate, wars overseas, will all undoubtedly impact us for generations. They’ll also impact the stories we choose to tell. At first glance, it might feel like a stretch to draw a line between a photo of a dog and Palestine for instance. But nothing we create exists in a vacuum. We share the same planet, and what we create, whether it’s a protest poster or a children’s book, exists within that same reality. Existential threats like climate change, political tension, and rising inequality, have and should shape what we create, whether it’s commercial art or not (and let’s face it, non-commercial art is becoming a rarity).

In America in the early 1900s, art and design shaped how the world saw the country and how the country saw itself. The printing press and the television made it possible to reach and even control audiences like never before. Today, the algorithm reigns. Social media, streaming, and endless content consume unfathomable creative energy. We’ve built a machine that feeds itself.

We’re not powerless. We get to choose where we focus our attention and what we create, thus what takes the attention of others. I’ve always questioned the values behind my own work, not always in a self-doubting way, but in a way that I hope keeps me tethered to my values. I’ll be the first to admit that what I create is rarely perfect.

Introspection is valuable. It might allow a creative to avoid using rage-bait and exacerbating brain rot. But our disposable content culture has produced solutions to some problems in modernity. We’ve seen a lot of positive social change, mobilization, and grassroots fundraising for so many causes. And the future is uncertain: AI might evolve beyond mashed potato mansions. But I can’t help but wonder what the world could be if this same creative energy was directed with just a little more... intention.

I imagine it’s like cutting sugar out of your diet. You’ll start noticing the subtleties of what would otherwise be bland foods. The chocolatey notes in an almond, the sweetness of a well massaged kale leaf. What if we did the same with the internet? If we cut out rage-bait and mindless fluff, would we start to crave something deeper. Something more real?

I guess the buck comes down to all of us: to be aware of where we’re giving our attention, and where we’re demanding it. I’ve got a lot of work to do on both sides of this coin.

At the end of the day, I can only speak for my own work. As lighthearted as it is, I hope it matters in some way. In the same way joy matters. I’ll do my best to make sure the time I’m taking, your time, and especially your child’s time, is valued. I hope making kids smile, teaching them new words, and occasionally talking about dogs and mental health benefits someone, somewhere. So, I’ll keep asking questions, and showing you cute dogs. But most importantly I’ll keep searching for the balance—because both joy and meaning matter.

With love,

Andrew, Yaya, & Boo

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A relevant read: End the Horror: Let the Crisis Change You – Spencer R. Scott

A relevant podcast: Attention Pays – The Gray Area

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All that being said, you can now pre-order my new children’s book Yaya & Boo On the Go!