--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My hope was that going off my artificial…" description: "\"“My hope was that going off my artificial entertainment addiction would tell me what I have never gotten right about Christmas, and about meaning, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg" --- # My hope was that going off my artificial entertainment… ![“My hope was that going off my artificial entertainment addiction would tell me what I have never gotten right about Christmas, and about meaning, and about what it takes to keep a family together. I had hoped my experiment would unlock a magic pattern obscured all this time with my running around…” quote by Esther Emery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg) > ““My hope was that going off my artificial entertainment addiction would tell me what I have never gotten right about Christmas, and about meaning, and about what it takes to keep a family together. I had hoped my experiment would unlock a magic pattern obscured all this time with my running around and being desperate and chasing shiny things. But so far, all it does is make me feel the things I’ve lost.”” Esther Emery ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes an attempt to quit digital entertainment to find deeper meaning, but only feels loss of what was previously taken for granted. **In simple terms:** Quitting tech revealed missing joys, not solutions. Key Takeaway Recognize loss before seeking meaning. Themes addiction family meaning loss Mood reflective melancholic Type personal emotional When to use this quote - digital detox - holiday stress - family bonding - personal reflection Key Concepts behavioral change psychology family dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What does “meaning” look like for you? - How can you rebuild lost connections? A Different Perspective Stopping one habit may not resolve deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) ## Related quotes > [Even when people don't stay married, they can still be a family together. That's been something that's been really good for developing me as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/even-when-people-don-t-stay-married-they-can-still-be-a-family/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [One of the most beautiful experiences our family shared was feeling the love and bond that came to life when my mother was battling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-cohen/one-of-the-most-beautiful-experiences-our-family-shared-was-feeling/) [Yael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-cohen/) > [When I was in high school, my mom hated football. But then, the more I played, the more it grew on her. This game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-ferguson/when-i-was-in-high-school-my-mom-hated-football-but-then-the-more-i/) [Nick Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-ferguson/) > [Loving one another isn’t enough to make a relationship last. The real glue that holds a couple (or friends or family) together is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-berg/loving-one-another-isn-t-enough-to-make-a-relationship-last-the-real/) [Yehuda Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-berg/) > [Being a fan of someone's show and the way they still hold a family together doesn't mean I am OK with all they say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-payne/being-a-fan-of-someone-s-show-and-the-way-they-still-hold-a-family/) [Liam Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-payne/) > [In a world often marked by selfishness, a large family is a school of solidarity and sharing; and this attitude is to the benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-a-world-often-marked-by-selfishness-a-large-family-is-a-school-of/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The one thing that kept our family together was the music. The only thing that our family would share emotionally was to have our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-wilson/the-one-thing-that-kept-our-family-together-was-the-music-the-only/) [Dennis Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-wilson/) > [I think that doing comedy and playing Dwight is a service. Not to get grandiose about it, but I have a talent for playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/i-think-that-doing-comedy-and-playing-dwight-is-a-service-not-to-get/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [Marriage is one of the most important institutions we have. It binds families and society together. It is a building block that promotes stability.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-miller/marriage-is-one-of-the-most-important-institutions-we-have-it-binds/) Maria Miller > [“We were happy and powerful. But the Europeans came to our country; it was from them that I learned the accomplishments which you appeared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/we-were-happy-and-powerful-but-the-europeans-came-to-our-country-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [When my mom passed, it hit us hard. She was the glue that held our family together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-posey/when-my-mom-passed-it-hit-us-hard-she-was-the-glue-that-held-our/) [Tyler Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-posey/) > [Holidays - any holiday - are such a great opportunity to focus on bringing the family together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-bastianich/holidays-any-holiday-are-such-a-great-opportunity-to-focus-on/) [Lidia Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-bastianich/) > [“If I have any faith at all, I guess that's it. Faith in the small love that keeps our family together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/if-i-have-any-faith-at-all-i-guess-that-s-it-faith-in-the-small-love/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“Yes, she had held her family together, but at what cost to herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/yes-she-had-held-her-family-together-but-at-what-cost-to-herself/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [I remember watching an Iranian film, 'A Separation.' When the film ended, I felt like going to Iran, getting that family together, hug them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/i-remember-watching-an-iranian-film-a-separation-when-the-film-ended/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) ## More by Esther Emery > [“but we can no longer understand the logic of placing your mind fully at the mercy of your entertainment. For two and a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/but-we-can-no-longer-understand-the-logic-of-placing-your-mind-fully/) Esther Emery > [“or that the actors are good enough to carry it even when their characters are thin. That isn’t entertainment to us anymore. That’s imprisonment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/or-that-the-actors-are-good-enough-to-carry-it-even-when-their/) Esther Emery > [“Jacob will tell me later that important people have always kept copies of their letters. He will even tell me about a machine invented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/jacob-will-tell-me-later-that-important-people-have-always-kept/) Esther Emery Explore all 4 Esther Emery quotes ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My hope was that going off my artificial entertainment addiction would tell me what I have never gotten right about Christmas, and about meaning, and about what it takes to keep a family together. I had hoped my experiment would unlock a magic pattern obscured all this time with my running around and being desperate and chasing shiny things. But so far, all it does is make me feel the things I’ve lost.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Esther Emery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial-entertainment-addiction/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christmas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial-entertainment-addiction/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/esther-emery-73058_christmas_my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial_3196597.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My hope was that going off my artificial entertainment addiction would tell me what I have never gotten…” — Esther Emery", "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": "Esther Emery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-emery/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“My hope was that going off...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial-entertainment-addiction/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-emery/my-hope-was-that-going-off-my-artificial-entertainment-addiction/#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 } } ] } ```