Am I becoming selectively text blind?
Source: Dev.to
Background
Today I was reading a post, and when I reached the advertisement, my brain stopped registering the words and I just scrolled down. It feels similar to tuning out the banner ads and images that appear on most websites.
The Problem
The advertisement text is often woven in with informational content, so I risk missing reasoning or crucial details. I’ve noticed the same pattern with YouTube creators who mix product reviews with promotional material; I’ve gotten into the habit of skipping those sections entirely.
In video this interruption is less bothersome, but in text it feels like reading a story that is suddenly interrupted by out‑of‑context information, making it hard to stay engaged with the rest of the content.
Questions for Others
- Am I the problem, or do others experience the same thing?
- How do you react when you realize you’re “selectively text blind” to advertisements embedded in otherwise useful material?
I understand that people create posts for different reasons, and it’s not my place to ban anything. I’m simply curious about how others handle this realization.