--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think we have the attention span of a…" description: "\"I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know, with cell phones and Twitter.\" — Jeff Daniels" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/jeff-daniels-12465_attention_i-think-we-have-the-attention-span-of-a_434681.png" --- # I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know… ![“I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know, with cell phones and Twitter.” quote by Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/jeff-daniels-12465_attention_i-think-we-have-the-attention-span-of-a_434681.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/jeff-daniels-12465_attention_i-think-we-have-the-attention-span-of-a_434681.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/jeff-daniels-12465_attention_i-think-we-have-the-attention-span-of-a_434681.png) > “I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know, with cell phones and Twitter.” [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern attention is fragmented, likened to a gnat's brief focus, especially due to smartphones and social media. **In simple terms:** Our focus is short, like a gnat, because of phones and Twitter. Key Takeaway Limit digital distractions to improve focus. Themes technology attention culture Mood concerned critical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - work - study - social media use - family time Key Concepts Cognitive overload media consumption Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help you maintain attention? - Is brief attention always detrimental? A Different Perspective Constant connectivity can also foster rapid information exchange. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-span/) [Cell phone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phone/) [Cell phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phones/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) ## Related quotes > [The one thing I'm learning about these phones and this Twitter generation, I don't think anybody cares about what happened in years past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-izzo/the-one-thing-i-m-learning-about-these-phones-and-this-twitter/) [Tom Izzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-izzo/) > [Do people with iPhones know that when they tweet their symbols on twitter it shows up as black blocks on other phones twitter timelines?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayde-nicole/do-people-with-iphones-know-that-when-they-tweet-their-symbols-on/) [Jayde Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayde-nicole/) > [You and I and everyone else have the attention span of gnats. And that means that saying or doing anything once simply doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/you-and-i-and-everyone-else-have-the-attention-span-of-gnats-and-that/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [I think, sometimes, if you get too much attention, then everybody watches you more closely, and they make these broad generalizations about you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-adams/i-think-sometimes-if-you-get-too-much-attention-then-everybody/) [Neal Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-adams/) > [I've always wanted to have fun and always wanted to have, I think attention, in a way, where I'm making someone laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-stalter/i-ve-always-wanted-to-have-fun-and-always-wanted-to-have-i-think/) [Megan Stalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-stalter/) > [Arthur Miller said one of my favorite lines ever, that he had the mother say to her two sons about a very unstable father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/arthur-miller-said-one-of-my-favorite-lines-ever-that-he-had-the/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [“I texted back: Did you make it home? A few minutes passed while I stared at my phone. Yeah. Fam showering me with affection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-texted-back-did-you-make-it-home-a-few-minutes-passed-while-i/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [Time is our most precious currency. So it's significant that we are being encouraged, wherever possible, to think of our attention not as expenditure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/time-is-our-most-precious-currency-so-it-s-significant-that-we-are/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [When you think about it, attention-deficit order makes a lot of sense. In this country there isn't a lot worth paying attention to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/when-you-think-about-it-attention-deficit-order-makes-a-lot-of-sense/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [But I'm acutely aware that the possibility of fraud is even more prevalent in today's world because of the Internet and cell phones and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armistead-maupin/but-i-m-acutely-aware-that-the-possibility-of-fraud-is-even-more/) [Armistead Maupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armistead-maupin/) > [Cell phones are so convenient that they're an inconvenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/cell-phones-are-so-convenient-that-they-re-an-inconvenience/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I remember one point seeing I had like 60-some different cell phones. I know I only use one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-kosar/i-remember-one-point-seeing-i-had-like-60-some-different-cell-phones/) Bernie Kosar > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Kindle Paperwhite 3G models use the same technology as cell phones, so they are dependent on cellular coverage areas. By default, a 3G device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amazon/kindle-paperwhite-3g-models-use-the-same-technology-as-cell-phones-so/) amazon ## More by Jeff Daniels > [You know, its really strange now with the Internet, with everyone having an unsolicited, anonymous opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/you-know-its-really-strange-now-with-the-internet-with-everyone/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I always wanted to do films. I'd gone to New York early in 1976 and did a lot of theater, but I really wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-always-wanted-to-do-films-i-d-gone-to-new-york-early-in-1976-and/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I love the theater, but if I had to choose, I would choose a film at this time in my life. Something meaty, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-love-the-theater-but-if-i-had-to-choose-i-would-choose-a-film-at/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I just never did buy this idea that you have to live in Los Angeles to be an actor. I didn't see that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-just-never-did-buy-this-idea-that-you-have-to-live-in-los-angeles/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [One of the more noble things the Oscars can do is pay attention to movies no one knows about. Blockbusters don't need much help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/one-of-the-more-noble-things-the-oscars-can-do-is-pay-attention-to/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There is no best anything in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-is-no-best-anything-in-art/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I never starved. And you know, whatever talent I have, I've relied on that, versus image or star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-never-starved-and-you-know-whatever-talent-i-have-i-ve-relied-on/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [The older you get, and the more you're in this business, the more you kind of feel like, 'Why don't we just do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/the-older-you-get-and-the-more-you-re-in-this-business-the-more-you/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [I was haunted by trainers going "Up, up, up, get up." You find yourself picking your head up and then realizing, They aren't talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-was-haunted-by-trainers-going-up-up-up-get-up-you-find-yourself/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [On cable now, the writer is king. Any actor chases that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/on-cable-now-the-writer-is-king-any-actor-chases-that/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [ There is no best anything in art. Phillip \[Hoffman\] isn't better than Heath \[Ledger\]; Joaquin \[Phoenix\] isn't better than David \[Strathairn\] or Terence \[Howard\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-is-no-best-anything-in-art-phillip-hoffman-isn-t-better-than/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There are so many projects that you go into hoping the story works, and here comes a new third act and that kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-are-so-many-projects-that-you-go-into-hoping-the-story-works/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [Give me good writing, and I'll play it all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/give-me-good-writing-and-i-ll-play-it-all-day/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [On indies it's hard to do, but in rehearsals, you make mistakes in rehearsal. It's really hard rehearsing a play or what rehearsal you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/on-indies-it-s-hard-to-do-but-in-rehearsals-you-make-mistakes-in/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [There's not a single job in this town. There's nothin', nada, zip. Unless you wanna workforty hours a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/there-s-not-a-single-job-in-this-town-there-s-nothin-nada-zip-unless/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) [Explore all 54 Jeff Daniels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) ## 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. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. 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. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think we have the attention span of a gnat. 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