Creative act Quote by Edith Wharton
““But in a few years more perhaps there may be; for, deep within us as the ghost instinct lurks, I seem to see it being gradually atrophied by those two world-wide enemies of the imagination, the wireless and the cinema. To a generation for whom everything which used to nourish the imagination because it had to be won by an effort, and then slowly assimilated, is now served up cooked, seasoned, and chopped into little bits, the creative faculty (for reading should be a creative act as well as writing) is rapidly withering, together with the power of sustained attention; and the world which used to be so grand à la charté des lampes is diminishing in inverse ratio to the new means of spanning it; so that the more we add to its surface the smaller it becomes.””
About This Quote
The quote warns that modern media—especially wireless devices and cinema—are eroding deep imagination, sustained attention, and the effortful, creative engagement once required for reading and thinking.
In simple terms: Modern media erodes imagination and attention.
Key Takeaway
Creative effort is being replaced by passive consumption.
Themes
Imagination
Attention
Media Influence
Cognitive Decline
Cultural Change
Mood
Nostalgic
Cautionary
Reflective
Type
Critical
Observational
Cultural Commentary
When to use this quote
- Students studying with smartphones
- Readers binge-watching series
- Writers facing distraction
- Educators teaching critical thinking
Key Concepts
Deep Reading
Creative Effort
Media Saturation
Cognitive Load
Practical Applications
- Designing curricula that prioritize deep reading
- Developing tools that limit media interruptions
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we reclaim deep attention in a hyper‑connected world?
- What practices foster creative effort despite media overload?
