The Attention Economy Navigator, May 2026 w/ Dr. Shan (Pop Smart Media)

This week we are building May's Attention Economy Navigator, our guide to what you should be paying more attention to, and what you can probably pay less attention to. And why those stories might not be what you’d assume. Joining to help build this month's Attention Economy Navigator in real time are cultural studies professor, writer, and founder of Pop Smart Media, Dr. Shannon Mancus (AKA Dr. Shan). She also co-hosts Fool Me Once, a weekly livestream with Under the Desk News' V. Spehar, Mondays at 10:00 AM ET. We are also joined this week by Convergence's Managing Editor, Akin Olla. You can also read the article version on the Convergence website, or watch the panel plot these stories in real time on YouTube. Stories Referenced in This Episode: American showing at the 2026 Venice Biennale is simultaneously reactionary and boring. Socialist Chris Rabb wins House primary in Pennsylvania. The San Diego mosque shooting was carried out by extremely nihilistic teenagers bought into white nationalist ideas about race war. Operation Epic Furious, a satirical performance art in the form of a video game, showed up on playable arcade cabinets on the National Mall. Trump earns protection for he and his family from IRS audits and a $1.8 billion slush fund to pay off loyalists who claim to have been harmed by “lawfare”; potentially including now pardoned January 6 rioters. Democrats can't stop trying to punish Hasan Piker, in spite of him using his platform to campaign...for Democrats. Who’s paying creators in the California gubernatorial primary? Want more? Enrich your media diet: Movement Media Alliance Contact us: [email protected] Subscribe to Convergence Magazine's YouTube to catch the video premiere of each episode: Mondays at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT Have we made a difference in your life? Help us keep it going. convergencemag.com/membership