The TikTok Attention Economy: Byung-Chul Han’s Burnout Society Explained

In the age of hyper-connectivity and endless digital distraction, social media platforms like TikTok have redefined how we consume content—and how content consumes us. With never-ending streams of micro-videos and algorithmic precision delivering exactly what keeps us hooked, attention has become a currency and users, unwitting laborers in the attention economy. This phenomenon echoes the powerful critique made by Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han in his seminal work, *The Burnout Society*, where he asserts that modern individuals are no longer repressed by external authority, but instead, driven to exhaustion by internal compulsion. TikTok, as the ultimate playground of self-optimization and dopamine-fueled validation, illustrates this philosophical diagnosis in action.

NON-STOIC PHILOSOPHIES

7/20/20253 min read

1. From Discipline to Achievement: Han’s “Burnout Society”

Byung-Chul Han identifies a significant shift in how power manifests in the modern world. In contrast to Michel Foucault’s model of “disciplinary societies”—dominated by prisons, schools, and militarized institutions—Han argues that we live in an “achievement society” where individuals no longer need external coercion. Instead, they willingly overwork themselves in pursuit of perceived success.

Obedience-subjects have become achievement-subjects. The new imperative is not “you must,” but “you can”—and therefore, you must strive, hustle, and outperform.
Neuronal diseases replace viral ones. Burnout, ADHD, and depression have increased not from lack of freedom, but from too much of it—the freedom to exploit oneself in the name of performance.
The violence of positivity. Today’s coercion is sugar-coated. Individuals push themselves to their limits under the illusion of creative freedom. But the absence of limits leads not to freedom, but fatigue.

Freedom, in this society, becomes paradoxical: it empowers individuals to drive their own suffering. Han’s insight is that the line between autonomy and exploitation has become blurred, and this internalized drive to achieve replaces imposed discipline.

2. TikTok’s Algorithmic Attention Economy

TikTok is arguably the embodiment of Han’s “achievement society.” Its design doesn’t force users; it entices, nudges, and rewards.

Infinite scroll & micro-videos: The app offers endless short-form videos tailored to user preferences. Each swipe brings potential reward—humor, awe, controversy—all delivered in 15 to 60 seconds. This rapid-fire design hijacks the brain’s dopamine system, making attention fleeting and fragmented.
The For You Page as behavioral mirror: TikTok’s algorithm adapts in real-time. Watch one video twice, linger slightly longer, tap like—and the algorithm sharpens its profile of you. It becomes harder to exit because the feed feels “personalized.”
Your attention is the product. Each view, like, and share becomes data—leveraged by creators and brands to monetize influence. The average user spends hours a day on the platform, not as a consumer, but as a commodity in an economy where attention equals profit.

In this setup, the user is not just entertained—they are mined.

3. When Burnout Meets the “For You” Feed

The parallel between Han’s philosophy and TikTok’s design is alarmingly vivid.

Voluntary self-exploitation: TikTok doesn’t demand anything—but it rewards endlessly. Users extend their own sessions willingly. There are no limits—just the pull of the next clip. In Han’s terms, this is self-imposed coercion.
The loss of negativity: On TikTok, there are no natural “stops.” Unlike television or books, which have chapter ends or built-in limits, TikTok is perpetual. There is no enforced pause—no friction to slow the scroll. Reflection and boredom—essential for developing thought—are eclipsed by dopamine loops.
Psychic fatigue: TikTok-laden minds often report symptoms of restlessness, shortened attention span, and anxiety. Han’s term "psychic infarction" captures this collapse from within—when the mind, overloaded with positivity and stimulation, no longer functions with depth or clarity.

The outcome: a generation burned out not from work per se, but from the continuous performance of consumption.

4. Resisting the Scroll: Toward a Healthier Digital Practice

Han calls for “a politics of slowness”—a return to contemplation, silence, and stillness. While deleting TikTok might be too radical (or unrealistic) for many, resistance can begin with mindful engagement.

Daily Practices to Reclaim Attention:

Curate consciously: Unfollow creators that trigger compulsive scrolling. Choose content that uplifts, educates, or inspires.
Schedule your use: Apply digital well-being tools to regulate your daily screen time. Enforce tech-free zones in your day.
Scroll with purpose: Set a goal for each session—whether to learn something or simply enjoy entertainment—then exit when that’s fulfilled.
Return to the analog: Read a printed book. Walk without headphones. Journal. Cook a full meal. Handwrite your thoughts. These are not indulgences—they’re necessities for a mentally sustainable rhythm.

Each of these practices helps reclaim your attention, shifting it from an exploited resource to a sacred center of presence.

Conclusion

TikTok, in its ceaseless scroll, exemplifies the dynamics of the burnout society. It transforms users into performance-oriented, self-exploiting machines, for whom freedom means endless availability to external rewards.

Yet, awareness of this cycle is the beginning of resistance. By recognizing the mechanics of attention extraction—and aligning with Han’s call for renewed inner stillness—we can turn the scroll into choice, the performative into intentional, the burnout into space for recovery.

To reclaim our time, our focus, and our mental clarity, we must remember: just because the scroll never ends doesn’t mean we have to continue it.