--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first TV babies are now writing with…" description: "\"The first TV babies are now writing with a TV mind that has no attention span at all.\" — Gore Vidal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/gore-vidal-466_attention_the-first-tv-babies-are-now-writing-with_1938645.jpg" --- # The first TV babies are now writing with a TV mind that… ![“The first TV babies are now writing with a TV mind that has no attention span at all.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/gore-vidal-466_attention_the-first-tv-babies-are-now-writing-with_1938645.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/gore-vidal-466_attention_the-first-tv-babies-are-now-writing-with_1938645.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/gore-vidal-466_attention_the-first-tv-babies-are-now-writing-with_1938645.jpg) > “The first TV babies are now writing with a TV mind that has no attention span at all.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. TV culture creates shallow, attention‑deficient thinking, turning people into passive consumers rather than active creators. **In simple terms:** TV reduces attention and creativity. Key Takeaway Limit media consumption, engage in deep work. Themes media attention creativity technology Mood critical analytical Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - education - workplace - parenting - content creation Key Concepts cognitive science media studies psychology Questions to Reflect On - What habits can improve focus in a TV‑rich world? - How can we balance entertainment and deep thinking? A Different Perspective Not all TV is harmful; some educational content can enrich. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-span/) [Babies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babies/) [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever people see - TV in my mind forms people's opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/whatever-people-see-tv-in-my-mind-forms-people-s-opinions/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [The most rewarding part of writing for TV is - a year ago I would have said it's just watching it on TV, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/the-most-rewarding-part-of-writing-for-tv-is-a-year-ago-i-would-have/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [I started off writing TV adverts. I saw those as rehearsals for a feature film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-started-off-writing-tv-adverts-i-saw-those-as-rehearsals-for-a/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I think watching TV has influenced my books, but I don't think writing TV has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-abbott/i-think-watching-tv-has-influenced-my-books-but-i-don-t-think-writing/) [Megan Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-abbott/) > [Writing for TV or films isn't great art. You have to have a common denominator. It's up to the composer to make that common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/writing-for-tv-or-films-isn-t-great-art-you-have-to-have-a-common/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [Writing for TV made way more sense than writing for magazines. And by sense, I mean money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/writing-for-tv-made-way-more-sense-than-writing-for-magazines-and-by/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [When you're just writing, you can do anything with it. But with TV, you've gotta work within certain budget constraints, so you've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-butler/when-you-re-just-writing-you-can-do-anything-with-it-but-with-tv-you/) [Austin Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-butler/) > [The truth is that when writing a TV show or a film you are a part of a team. And though you might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/the-truth-is-that-when-writing-a-tv-show-or-a-film-you-are-a-part-of/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Limitations are something that I latch onto - like working in genre, or if you're writing TV, there are act breaks, there's a length…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/limitations-are-something-that-i-latch-onto-like-working-in-genre-or/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I didn't know I was going to write for TV until I was suddenly writing for TV, so that kind of stuff can bewilder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-didn-t-know-i-was-going-to-write-for-tv-until-i-was-suddenly/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [I think that we're in a really amazing time, where there are really a lot of really fantastic female actresses and comedians. I imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-cummings/i-think-that-we-re-in-a-really-amazing-time-where-there-are-really-a/) [Whitney Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-cummings/) > [Hundreds of people who've never written before send in 'Dr. Who' scripts. They may have good ideas, but what they fail to realise is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/hundreds-of-people-who-ve-never-written-before-send-in-dr-who-scripts/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [ Acting is fun; it's easier than writing, and if you get on a \[TV\] show, it draws people to your stand-up. That's ultimately what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal-buress/acting-is-fun-it-s-easier-than-writing-and-if-you-get-on-a-tv-show-it/) [Hannibal Buress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal-buress/) > [When you're writing TV or movies your vernacular is time, it's all based on rhythms, a character takes a beat or two characters have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/when-you-re-writing-tv-or-movies-your-vernacular-is-time-it-s-all/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. 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They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. 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