--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Along with the phone a device they had…" description: "\"“Along with the phone a device they had installed allowed them to turn down the bell. Should it be used, no matter how urgent or trivial the message, i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/david-bromige-74774_bell_along-with-the-phone-a-device-they-had-i_2978036.jpg" --- # Along with the phone a device they had installed allowed… ![“Along with the phone a device they had installed allowed them to turn down the bell. Should it be used, no matter how urgent or trivial the message, it would not get through, because they wouldn't hear the signal that preceded it. It would be as though they were out of the house, or in a coma, or…” quote by David Bromige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/david-bromige-74774_bell_along-with-the-phone-a-device-they-had-i_2978036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/david-bromige-74774_bell_along-with-the-phone-a-device-they-had-i_2978036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf5/david-bromige-74774_bell_along-with-the-phone-a-device-they-had-i_2978036.jpg) > ““Along with the phone a device they had installed allowed them to turn down the bell. Should it be used, no matter how urgent or trivial the message, it would not get through, because they wouldn't hear the signal that preceded it. It would be as though they were out of the house, or in a coma, or dead. When they were dead news, no matter how alarming, would no longer concern them. But they were not yet dead, & so could move from place to place, raise their arms, bend the fingers, oppose the thumbs, & switch it off and on.”” [David Bromige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bromige/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A device silences all messages, likening it to being dead; it explores how technology can isolate us from urgent information. **In simple terms:** A device can mute all messages like death. Key Takeaway Stay aware of critical alerts despite distractions. Themes technology communication isolation Mood thoughtful critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - emergency protocols - digital detox - workplace policies Key Concepts media theory attention economy Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure important alerts are heard? - What balance is needed between silence and awareness? A Different Perspective Silencing may miss vital warnings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bell/) [Bell Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bell-used-4617609/) [Message Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message-wouldn-1067054/) [Turn Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-bell-4617610/) [Wouldn Hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-hear-488726/) ## Related quotes > [Until cubism, all art, all pictures, could be 'read' by anybody. If this hadn't been so, the Christian message wouldn't have been seen by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/until-cubism-all-art-all-pictures-could-be-read-by-anybody-if-this/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [My mum says I was the best kid ever; you could put me in a corner with a box of paints and I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-ramsay/my-mum-says-i-was-the-best-kid-ever-you-could-put-me-in-a-corner-with/) [Lynne Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-ramsay/) > [People who care nothing about money probably exist or we wouldn't hear so much about them. But I've never encountered one in the flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-foley/people-who-care-nothing-about-money-probably-exist-or-we-wouldn-t/) [Rae Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-foley/) > [“Choose someone to love who wouldn’t even hear of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/choose-someone-to-love-who-wouldn-t-even-hear-of-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Our little house was way back in the country. We had one house close to us, and hell the next one would've been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/our-little-house-was-way-back-in-the-country-we-had-one-house-close/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [“He’s gonna say yes, Pop-pop. You’re gonna ask him, right?” I made sure to keep my voice low enough that I knew Dante wouldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/he-s-gonna-say-yes-pop-pop-you-re-gonna-ask-him-right-i-made-sure-to/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [“Jackie Robinson stole home and he's safe."...Nobody could hurt him again. He wouldn't hear the name-calling. He would only hear the cheers and somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/jackie-robinson-stole-home-and-he-s-safe-nobody-could-hurt-him-again/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [“And send not to ask for whom the fucking bell tolls, because you're not going to like the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/and-send-not-to-ask-for-whom-the-fucking-bell-tolls-because-you-re/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [“How Nathan doesn't know I fancy him is beyond me. I may as well walk around with a sandwich board, saying 'I heart Nathan',…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/how-nathan-doesn-t-know-i-fancy-him-is-beyond-me-i-may-as-well-walk/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [“Like the clanging of the bell, the truth crashes in upon me. At last I understand. He took away my voice to save me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/like-the-clanging-of-the-bell-the-truth-crashes-in-upon-me-at-last-i/) [Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/) > [I'm not doing one lucky punch or spinning kick and catching somebody. I'm going to own you - not beat you - own you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/i-m-not-doing-one-lucky-punch-or-spinning-kick-and-catching-somebody/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [“When it's over...ring the bell. It's over!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/when-it-s-over-ring-the-bell-it-s-over/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [It's nice to know there's a way to pay the bills other than third-and-8 and getting your bell rung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/it-s-nice-to-know-there-s-a-way-to-pay-the-bills-other-than-third-and/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/your-name-is-a-golden-bell-hung-in-my-heart-i-would-break-my-body-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) ## More by David Bromige > [“He washed up on a desert island, where he incurred the most remarkable series of mishaps that somehow kept turning out for the best.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bromige/he-washed-up-on-a-desert-island-where-he-incurred-the-most-remarkable/) [David Bromige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bromige/) > [“At the “Bromige School of Writing” that’s what we like to see – complete confidence… even if it’s shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bromige/at-the-bromige-school-of-writing-that-s-what-we-like-to-see-complete/) [David Bromige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bromige/) [Explore all 3 David Bromige quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bromige/) ## More Bell quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/your-name-is-a-golden-bell-hung-in-my-heart-i-would-break-my-body-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [It's nice to know there's a way to pay the bills other than third-and-8 and getting your bell rung.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/it-s-nice-to-know-there-s-a-way-to-pay-the-bills-other-than-third-and/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [“When it's over...ring the bell. It's over!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/when-it-s-over-ring-the-bell-it-s-over/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [I'm not doing one lucky punch or spinning kick and catching somebody. I'm going to own you - not beat you - own you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/i-m-not-doing-one-lucky-punch-or-spinning-kick-and-catching-somebody/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [“Like the clanging of the bell, the truth crashes in upon me. At last I understand. He took away my voice to save me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/like-the-clanging-of-the-bell-the-truth-crashes-in-upon-me-at-last-i/) [Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/) > [“How Nathan doesn't know I fancy him is beyond me. I may as well walk around with a sandwich board, saying 'I heart Nathan',…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/how-nathan-doesn-t-know-i-fancy-him-is-beyond-me-i-may-as-well-walk/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [“And send not to ask for whom the fucking bell tolls, because you're not going to like the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/and-send-not-to-ask-for-whom-the-fucking-bell-tolls-because-you-re/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [My cheat snack is bell peppers, cream cheese, and Takis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/my-cheat-snack-is-bell-peppers-cream-cheese-and-takis/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [I used to walk down the Justice Department on the fifth floor and see all those portraits of legendary attorneys general, Griffin Bell and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/i-used-to-walk-down-the-justice-department-on-the-fifth-floor-and-see/) [Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/) > [It's a matter of how the bullpen looks as to whether Bell goes in there or Crow goes in there. Bell won't be ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-graham/it-s-a-matter-of-how-the-bullpen-looks-as-to-whether-bell-goes-in/) [Wayne Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-graham/) > [“Then something rang a bell in his mind. What”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/then-something-rang-a-bell-in-his-mind-what/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [“Laugh now, and laugh hard. For laughter is the bell. And when it rings, it cleanses the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/laugh-now-and-laugh-hard-for-laughter-is-the-bell-and-when-it-rings/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“You Can't Unring a Bell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-can-t-unring-a-bell/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [I was a fortnight away from my 16th birthday when the fabled 2005 Ashes series ended. My hero-worship throughout it belonged to Ian Bell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-bairstow/i-was-a-fortnight-away-from-my-16th-birthday-when-the-fabled-2005/) [Jonny Bairstow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-bairstow/) [Browse all 216 Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Along with the phone a device they had installed allowed them to turn down the bell. Should it be used, no matter how urgent or trivial the message, it would not get through, because they wouldn't hear the signal that preceded it. It would be as though they were out of the house, or in a coma, or dead. When they were dead news, no matter how alarming, would no longer concern them. 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