--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The media, the polls and our legislatures…" description: "\"The media, the polls and our legislatures fortunately have short attention spans.\" — John Gutfreund" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg" --- # The media, the polls and our legislatures fortunately have… ![“The media, the polls and our legislatures fortunately have short attention spans.” quote by John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg) > “The media, the polls and our legislatures fortunately have short attention spans.” [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The media, polls, and lawmakers quickly lose focus, limiting long‑term scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Short attention spans reduce accountability. Key Takeaway Demand sustained oversight. Themes politics media accountability Mood critical concerned Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - elections - legislative sessions - media cycles Key Concepts attention economy short‑term focus Questions to Reflect On - How can we maintain focus on important issues? - What mechanisms ensure lasting accountability? A Different Perspective Even brief attention can shape outcomes if leveraged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-span/) [Attention Spans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-spans-549688/) [Fortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunately/) [Fortunately Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortunately-short-5251637/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Legislatures Fortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislatures-fortunately-5251636/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Polls Legislatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls-legislatures-5251638/) [Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short/) [Short Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-attention/) [Spans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spans/) ## Related quotes > [In this fragmented world, with such short attention spans, you've got a couple of episodes to make an impression. And if you don't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walton/in-this-fragmented-world-with-such-short-attention-spans-you-ve-got-a/) [David Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walton/) > [I'm very conscious of people having pretty short attention spans: I know, I'm guilty of it. I'm 17 now: what happens by the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/i-m-very-conscious-of-people-having-pretty-short-attention-spans-i/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [The problems with kids having short attention spans is driven by entertainment, reset buttons on games, games having to do with getting somewhere and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/the-problems-with-kids-having-short-attention-spans-is-driven-by/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I think there was a sense that the impact was being lost because the audience was so familiar with the form. You combine that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lampley/i-think-there-was-a-sense-that-the-impact-was-being-lost-because-the/) [Jim Lampley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lampley/) > [For years, particularly with the advent of the Internet, people have been griping about lessening attention spans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/for-years-particularly-with-the-advent-of-the-internet-people-have/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [There is a lot of talk in publishing these days that we need to become more like the Internet: We need to make books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/there-is-a-lot-of-talk-in-publishing-these-days-that-we-need-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Today's children have very short attention spans because they are being reared on dreadful television programmes which are flickering away in the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/today-s-children-have-very-short-attention-spans-because-they-are/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [We live in a time of short attention spans and long stories. The short attention spans are seen as inevitable, the consequence of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-junod/we-live-in-a-time-of-short-attention-spans-and-long-stories-the-short/) [Tom Junod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-junod/) > [Do you know why language manifests itself the way it does in my work? It's because I understand short attention spans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/do-you-know-why-language-manifests-itself-the-way-it-does-in-my-work/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [I want people to be drawn into the space of the work. 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Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Land of snap decisions, land of short attention spans, nothing is savored long enough to really understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/land-of-snap-decisions-land-of-short-attention-spans-nothing-is/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [In '77 there was no Internet, there was no Twitter or Facebook, and I think that, without being some old git who hates anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jones/in-77-there-was-no-internet-there-was-no-twitter-or-facebook-and-i/) [Steve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jones/) > [Twenty20 is cricket on speed. In an era of hectic lifestyles and falling attention spans, it gives spectators more drama and intensity in three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/twenty20-is-cricket-on-speed-in-an-era-of-hectic-lifestyles-and/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [To finance longer life spans, we must convince individuals to start investing now for the long term. But longevity should be an asset that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-d-fink/to-finance-longer-life-spans-we-must-convince-individuals-to-start/) [Laurence D. Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-d-fink/) ## More by John Gutfreund > [I don't have many regrets. I regret mistakes, particularly those that damage other people, and we've all made some of those. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/i-don-t-have-many-regrets-i-regret-mistakes-particularly-those-that/) [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) > [Proprietary stock-index arbitrage is but one aspect of program trading. Arbitrage will take place whenever there is an imbalance created in one or more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/proprietary-stock-index-arbitrage-is-but-one-aspect-of-program/) [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) > [I am more rich in goods than I am in money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/i-am-more-rich-in-goods-than-i-am-in-money/) [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) > [I have never been a social lion; I was misidentified as one because I have a very attractive second wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/i-have-never-been-a-social-lion-i-was-misidentified-as-one-because-i/) [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) > [People in Philadelphia are a world apart from New York. They're very different from people in the New York scene. 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They're not great investors or entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/commercial-banks-are-very-good-for-certain-businesses-like-loans-and/) [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) > [Shareholders share in the downside and not necessarily in the upside; that's the whole story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/shareholders-share-in-the-downside-and-not-necessarily-in-the-upside/) [John Gutfreund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) [Explore all 10 John Gutfreund quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/) ## 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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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": "The media, the polls and our legislatures fortunately have short attention spans.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Gutfreund" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures-fortunately-have-short/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures-fortunately-have-short/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e5/john-gutfreund-42703_attention_the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures_3080238.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The media, the polls and our legislatures fortunately have short attention spans.” — John Gutfreund", "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": "John Gutfreund", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gutfreund/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The media, the polls and our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures-fortunately-have-short/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutfreund/the-media-the-polls-and-our-legislatures-fortunately-have-short/#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 } } ] } ```