Fame: A Treatise on Empty Glory and the Attention Economy

This text provides an in-depth analysis of fame, perceived as a key currency in the contemporary attention economy. Drawing on the philosophy of Leszek Kołakowski, the author exposes the mechanisms of 'vainglory' and points to the crucial differences between enduring prestige and the fleeting notoriety generated by algorithms. The article examines the evolution of the desire for attention—from the historical deeds of Herostratus to today's microcelebrity and aspirational work on digital platforms. This is an important contribution to the discussion about digital hygiene, ethics, and the role of civil society in a world where attention has become a commodity, and the mechanisms of collective memory are sometimes instrumentalized by the market.