[mrbrandonking]

I think "What societal change explains this?" is a very HN-worthy topic. In fact, that was my first guess as to why a straight pool article was submitted to HN.

But the straight pool heydey wasn't in the 1970's...

If you go back to the 1930's, you'll find that straight pool was a popular spectator sport that often got more newspaper coverage than basketball or hockey. Ralph Greenleaf earned $2,000 a week performing trick shots for Broadway audiences. That's comparable to modern salaries for pro athletes when adjusted for inflation.

I think there's an interesting sociological question here, and that the answer is probably more complex than simply declining attention spans. Ned Polsky, a real sociologist (I'm not!), thought that pool's decline in popularity was caused by the decline of a "bachelor subculture" in America.

Polsky's book "Hustlers, Beats and Others" http://amzn.com/0202308871

Hope I didn't come across as bashing an entire generation. I count myself right there among the afflicted! Staying focused and productive as a software developer is a real challenge when your computer can become a TV at any moment, as Paul Graham put-it.

http://www.paulgraham.com/distraction.html).

And, besides, "The Wire" is awesome!

[cbd1984]

I'm not convinced attention spans are declining, for the reasons I stated: If you look at the 1930s, the major entertainment was radio and movies.

Movies are longer than individual TV show episodes, but shorter than the full run of the serialized TV shows we have now, so that doesn't hold up.

Radio had serials, certainly, but a lot of shows weren't serialized, and ongoing radio serials didn't have the full continuity with tight plotting that a show which was plotted out in full from day one does.

Maybe attention spans have dropped. I'm willing to be convinced. It's just that the examples you've posted haven't convinced me.

This, however, is very interesting:

> Ned Polsky, a real sociologist (I'm not!), thought that pool's decline in popularity was caused by the decline of a "bachelor subculture" in America.

I'll have to look up his actual thesis, but it sounds reasonable on its face.