conscious attention, n.All

Conscious attention (n.) so ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠enthralled early humans that they forgot everything else, like hens hypnotized by a chalk line under the beak.

Conscious attention (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠track only a few variables at once, so it persuades itself it is watching the important things — the way an editor picks "the news" from an infinity of happenings.