--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be decades until we know what…" description: "\"It may be decades until we know what living in a state of constant distraction will do to us,\" — Douglas Rushkoff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png" --- # It may be decades until we know what living in a state of… ![“It may be decades until we know what living in a state of constant distraction will do to us,” quote by Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png) > “It may be decades until we know what living in a state of constant distraction will do to us,” [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constant distraction may have unknown long‑term effects on cognition and society, urging caution and study. **In simple terms:** Distraction’s impact is uncertain. Key Takeaway Investigate and mitigate distraction. Themes technology attention health Mood concerned analytical Type sociological psychological When to use this quote - workplace - education - parenting - policy - mental health Key Concepts cognitive load media saturation Questions to Reflect On - What habits increase your distraction? - How can you protect focus in a noisy world? A Different Perspective Effects may be subtle and hard to measure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Constant Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant-distraction-2152766/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Decades Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades-know-1853433/) [Distraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distraction/) [Know Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-living-474014/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) ## Related quotes > [Life in the NBA can be one big constant distraction, especially when you're on the road. You're always moving from one place to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-mccollum/life-in-the-nba-can-be-one-big-constant-distraction-especially-when/) [C. J. McCollum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-mccollum/) > [Edward: “After a few decades, everyone you know will be dead. Problem solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/edward-after-a-few-decades-everyone-you-know-will-be-dead-problem/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [After a few decades, everyone you know will be dead. Problem solved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/after-a-few-decades-everyone-you-know-will-be-dead-problem-solved/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Our worlds needs more time to wonder and reflect but there is too much fast paced constant distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/our-worlds-needs-more-time-to-wonder-and-reflect-but-there-is-too/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“Our world needs more time to wonder and reflect but there is too much fast paced constant distraction. – Mister Rogers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hollingsworth/our-world-needs-more-time-to-wonder-and-reflect-but-there-is-too-much/) [Amy Hollingsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hollingsworth/) > [It sucks you know , living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mee/it-sucks-you-know-living/) [Mee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mee/) > [When you don't know what you're living for, you don't care how you live from one day to the next. You're happy the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-goncharov/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-living-for-you-don-t-care-how-you/) [Ivan Goncharov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-goncharov/) > [We know not from where we came, not even where we'll go, all we know is we are living and so we must concentrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/we-know-not-from-where-we-came-not-even-where-we-ll-go-all-we-know-is/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [If you know it, but you're not living it, you don't own it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/if-you-know-it-but-you-re-not-living-it-you-don-t-own-it/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [“We must live so that men seeing us will know that we are living by the principles of eternal life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-g-romney/we-must-live-so-that-men-seeing-us-will-know-that-we-are-living-by/) [Marion G. Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-g-romney/) > [“I am not afraid to die because I know that when we go, we will go together. It is living without you that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/i-am-not-afraid-to-die-because-i-know-that-when-we-go-we-will-go/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [“- How can I know that I am living my life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/how-can-i-know-that-i-am-living-my-life/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Laurene had to deal with that, and also with me being sick,” he said. “I know that living with me is not a bowl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laurene-had-to-deal-with-that-and-also-with-me-being-sick-he-said-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People have to know there is more to living than physical things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/people-have-to-know-there-is-more-to-living-than-physical-things/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [You just never know when you're living in a golden age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/you-just-never-know-when-you-re-living-in-a-golden-age/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) ## More by Douglas Rushkoff > [The first step toward maintaining autonomy in any programmed environment is to be aware that there's programming going on. It's as simple as understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/the-first-step-toward-maintaining-autonomy-in-any-programmed/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Digital media are biased toward replication and storage. Our digital photos practically upload and post themselves on Facebook, and our most deleted e-mails tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digital-media-are-biased-toward-replication-and-storage-our-digital/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [“And spend they did. Money circulated faster and spread wider through its communities of use than at any other time in economic history.8 Workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/and-spend-they-did-money-circulated-faster-and-spread-wider-through/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Occupy Wall Street is meant more as a way of life that spreads through contagion, creates as many questions as it answers, aims to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/occupy-wall-street-is-meant-more-as-a-way-of-life-that-spreads/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Time has always been used against us on a certain level. The invention of the clock made us accountable to the employer, gave us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/time-has-always-been-used-against-us-on-a-certain-level-the-invention/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [What makes a great standalone piece of hardware is not the same thing as what makes a great networking device. One can work as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/what-makes-a-great-standalone-piece-of-hardware-is-not-the-same-thing/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Digiphrenia - how technology lets us be in more than one place - and self - at the same time. Drone pilots suffer more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digiphrenia-how-technology-lets-us-be-in-more-than-one-place-and-self/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [A currency designed for long-term storage and investment doesn't do so well at encouraging transactions and exchange in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/a-currency-designed-for-long-term-storage-and-investment-doesn-t-do/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Since the 1960s, mainstream media has searched out and co-opted the most authentic things it could find in youth culture, whether that was psychedelic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/since-the-1960s-mainstream-media-has-searched-out-and-co-opted-the/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Children are being adultified because our economy is depending on them to make purchasing decisions. So they're essentially the victims of a marketing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/children-are-being-adultified-because-our-economy-is-depending-on/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [In spite of my own reservations about Bing's ability to convert Google users, I have to admit that the search engine does offer a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/in-spite-of-my-own-reservations-about-bing-s-ability-to-convert/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [“Limbic consonance is the little-known process through which the mood of a room changes when a happy or nervous person walks in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/limbic-consonance-is-the-little-known-process-through-which-the-mood/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Think 'Game of Thrones.' In the old days, this sort of show might be considered bad writing. It doesn't really seem to be moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/think-game-of-thrones-in-the-old-days-this-sort-of-show-might-be/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [We have the alternative. "Do I want to be on the subway looking at these people, or do I want to be in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/we-have-the-alternative-do-i-want-to-be-on-the-subway-looking-at/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Digiphrenia”—the way our media and technologies encourage us to be in more than one place at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digiphrenia-the-way-our-media-and-technologies-encourage-us-to-be-in/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) [Explore all 180 Douglas Rushkoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) ## More Constant quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [As I grow through love, so grows my joy, ever more present, ever more constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/as-i-grow-through-love-so-grows-my-joy-ever-more-present-ever-more/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [People don't need sudden revelations. They get what they need when they need it, thought by thought by thought. It's a constant thing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/people-don-t-need-sudden-revelations-they-get-what-they-need-when/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Fishing is a constant reminder of the democracy of life, of humility, and of human frailty. The forces of nature discriminate for no man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/fishing-is-a-constant-reminder-of-the-democracy-of-life-of-humility/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Research is an organized method of trying to find out what you are going to do after you cannot do what you are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/research-is-an-organized-method-of-trying-to-find-out-what-you-are/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [You're a constant student, as a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/you-re-a-constant-student-as-a-musician/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [Intimacy requires an ability to both merge and be separate, to come together and be apart, like oscillating on a giant swing from oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-sophia-kasl/intimacy-requires-an-ability-to-both-merge-and-be-separate-to-come/) [Charlotte Sophia Kasl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-sophia-kasl/) [Browse all 3,025 Constant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It may be decades until we know what living in a state of constant distraction will do to us,", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Rushkoff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-living-in-a-state-of-constant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-living-in-a-state-of-constant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/douglas-rushkoff-2188_constant_it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-liv_1205417.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It may be decades until we know what living in a state of constant distraction will do to us,” — Douglas Rushkoff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Rushkoff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It may be decades until we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-living-in-a-state-of-constant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/it-may-be-decades-until-we-know-what-living-in-a-state-of-constant/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```