Why It Works
"the value inside gets killed because as i enter a new hyperfocus the previous ones become dead" ā 2025-07
The Problem (Precisely)
Monotropic attention = single-channel searchlight.
When the light moves:
- Previous focus goes dark
- Not "background" ā offline
- Not "deprioritized" ā inaccessible
- The information might as well not exist
The Solution (Precisely)
Put the information somewhere the searchlight doesn't control.
External memory.
Not "take notes" (requires attention to maintain). Not "organize files" (requires attention to navigate). Not "remember to check" (requires attention to remember).
Queryable. Semantic. Always there.
Why Semantic Search Matters
I don't remember what I called things.
Different hyperfocus sessions use different vocabulary for the same concept.
Semantic search: "What did I think about attention patterns?" ā Finds "dark room with candle" (different words, same concept)
Why It Has to Be External
If it's in my head, it's subject to the tunnel.
If it's in a file I have to remember, it's subject to the tunnel.
If it's in a system that shows me things without me asking, it survives the tunnel.
The Formula
Monotropic Attention + External Semantic Memory = Functional Continuity
You can't fix the attention. You can extend it with infrastructure.