--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think what we're attracted to on the…" description: "\"I think what we're attracted to on the page is something that is very difficult to do in life, which is to examine in what seems like a moment. To exam..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/hilton-als-7671_art_i-think-what-we-re-attracted-to-on-the-p_3088339.jpg" --- # I think what we're attracted to on the page is something… ![“I think what we're attracted to on the page is something that is very difficult to do in life, which is to examine in what seems like a moment. To examine what we can't do in life very well, which is to be as present and accountable to what an experience is. That's why life is short and art is…” quote by Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/hilton-als-7671_art_i-think-what-we-re-attracted-to-on-the-p_3088339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/hilton-als-7671_art_i-think-what-we-re-attracted-to-on-the-p_3088339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f51/hilton-als-7671_art_i-think-what-we-re-attracted-to-on-the-p_3088339.jpg) > “I think what we're attracted to on the page is something that is very difficult to do in life, which is to examine in what seems like a moment. To examine what we can't do in life very well, which is to be as present and accountable to what an experience is. That's why life is short and art is very long.” [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art demands deep presence and accountability, contrasting with life's fleeting nature, making art enduring. **In simple terms:** Art requires focus, unlike short life. Key Takeaway Be present, create lasting art. Themes art presence accountability time longevity Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - writing workshops - performance art - mindfulness practice - creative retreats Key Concepts Phenomenology existentialism creative focus Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate presence in creative work? - What makes art endure beyond life? A Different Perspective Maintaining presence is challenging in a distracted world. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Attracted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attracted/) [Attracted Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attracted-page-5298942/) [Examine Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examine-life-1217320/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-short/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Page Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/page-difficult-5298943/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Think Attracted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-attracted-616148/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think I'm attracted to writers who tell us something about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-hynes/i-think-i-m-attracted-to-writers-who-tell-us-something-about-ourselves/) [Garry Hynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-hynes/) > [It's so funny because you think you're attracted to this bad boy. They do whatever they want, but you don't really want that. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-akerman/it-s-so-funny-because-you-think-you-re-attracted-to-this-bad-boy-they/) [Malin Akerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-akerman/) > [I think you're always attracted by characters that are a little bit like you, or at least the worst parts of you that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-pugh/i-think-you-re-always-attracted-by-characters-that-are-a-little-bit/) [Florence Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-pugh/) > [I realize I love crazy ladies. Of course I don't like to think of myself as one, but maybe I am, too. I dunno.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-watkins/i-realize-i-love-crazy-ladies-of-course-i-don-t-like-to-think-of/) [Michaela Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-watkins/) > [I think I was attracted to Trump because he was a business man first. He isn't a politician. He spoke with common sense and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/i-think-i-was-attracted-to-trump-because-he-was-a-business-man-first/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [“I'm attracted to difficulty, I think. I'm attracted to guys who have truckloads of baggage. With them, it will never, ever be simple. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-lee-corthron/i-m-attracted-to-difficulty-i-think-i-m-attracted-to-guys-who-have/) [Kara Lee Corthron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-lee-corthron/) > [I think being attracted to mistakes is one of the things that film can capture in a way that theater can't. Film can capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-being-attracted-to-mistakes-is-one-of-the-things-that-film-2/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I think I am more attracted to characters with a subtext, whatever that is and they don't necessarily have to be virtuous, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-think-i-am-more-attracted-to-characters-with-a-subtext-whatever/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I think being attracted to mistakes is one of the things that film can capture in a way that theater can't. Film can capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-being-attracted-to-mistakes-is-one-of-the-things-that-film/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I think I'm attracted to subjects that I'm afraid of. It's a way to approach things I am afraid of, things that bring fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-villeneuve/i-think-i-m-attracted-to-subjects-that-i-m-afraid-of-it-s-a-way-to/) [Denis Villeneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-villeneuve/) > [“I pulled myself together and retreated to the coffee shop’s bathroom to refresh. Sol’s eyes caressed my body as I walked away, the soft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-r-pierce/i-pulled-myself-together-and-retreated-to-the-coffee-shop-s-bathroom/) [E.R. Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-r-pierce/) > [“I think you’re attracted to me and you don’t know how to handle it.” She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mallery/i-think-you-re-attracted-to-me-and-you-don-t-know-how-to-handle-it-she/) [Susan Mallery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-mallery/) > [“And you always do your duty. Doesn't it ever get boring? I think that's why you're so attracted to me, because I've shaken your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/and-you-always-do-your-duty-doesn-t-it-ever-get-boring-i-think-that-s/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [There's this idea out there that, had I not been trans, the leaks and stuff would never have happened. But to my mind, those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/there-s-this-idea-out-there-that-had-i-not-been-trans-the-leaks-and/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [“Don’t live life as a spectator. Always examine life: Espouse new ideas, long for new things, constantly discovering new interests, escaping from boring routines.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-baumgartner/don-t-live-life-as-a-spectator-always-examine-life-espouse-new-ideas/) [Felix Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-baumgartner/) ## More by Hilton Als > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think someone like Khandi Alexander, who's now on 'Treme,' is one of the most extraordinary actresses I've seen in years. But she's dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-someone-like-khandi-alexander-who-s-now-on-treme-is-one-of/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I have not seen 'The Lion King.' I don't do black folklore. And I'm black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-have-not-seen-the-lion-king-i-don-t-do-black-folklore-and-i-m-black/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think you're not really teaching anyone unless you're learning yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-you-re-not-really-teaching-anyone-unless-you-re-learning/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I used to always love taking photos, but I would always give a camera away to someone else. Now I don't give the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-used-to-always-love-taking-photos-but-i-would-always-give-a-camera/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [If I feel like I haven't really tapped into the essence of the story when I do an assignment, I may revisit it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/if-i-feel-like-i-haven-t-really-tapped-into-the-essence-of-the-story/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Inspiration takes many forms, but it's rarely pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/inspiration-takes-many-forms-but-it-s-rarely-pure/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Great sadness can be off putting, hard to comprehend, especially if it hasn't been your experience. It's amazing for me to know now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/great-sadness-can-be-off-putting-hard-to-comprehend-especially-if-it/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think that Tyler Perry's genius really has been to tap into the domestic market. He knows what his audience is based on, having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-tyler-perry-s-genius-really-has-been-to-tap-into-the/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I love Andre Leon Talley as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-love-andre-leon-talley-as-a-person/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I thought of the structure as musical. The first piece, for instance, contains the names/subject matter of every person to come in the book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-thought-of-the-structure-as-musical-the-first-piece-for-instance/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People have a copyright on their own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-have-a-copyright-on-their-own-life/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People are quick to make monuments of anything they live long enough to control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-are-quick-to-make-monuments-of-anything-they-live-long-enough/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I was so well loved by my mother that if people have any expectations of me I really don't notice because I'm hardest on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-was-so-well-loved-by-my-mother-that-if-people-have-any-expectations/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Explore all 88 Hilton Als quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think what we're attracted to on the page is something that is very difficult to do in life, which is to examine in what seems like a moment. 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