--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't always count on the devices…" description: "\"You can't always count on the devices, attitudes, and conceits that stood you in good stead in 1972 or 1973, or 1978-79, to still have the same impact ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg" --- # You can't always count on the devices, attitudes, and… ![“You can't always count on the devices, attitudes, and conceits that stood you in good stead in 1972 or 1973, or 1978-79, to still have the same impact all these years later.” quote by Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg) > “You can't always count on the devices, attitudes, and conceits that stood you in good stead in 1972 or 1973, or 1978-79, to still have the same impact all these years later.” [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reliance on past tools, mindsets, and ego may become ineffective as time passes. **In simple terms:** Old methods may lose power over time. Key Takeaway Adapt or find new approaches. Themes change technology humility legacy adaptation Mood reflective cautious Type analytical advisory When to use this quote - business strategy - personal growth - technology adoption - career planning Key Concepts obsolescence cognitive bias generational shift Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess when a strategy is outdated? - What new tools can replace old habits? A Different Perspective Past successes don't guarantee future relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Devices Attitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devices-attitudes-2766836/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Impact Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact-years-2766834/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Stead 1972](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stead-1972-2766835/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-later/) ## Related quotes > [I must analyze, from what I do now, what will be the impact two or three or five years in the future. What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/i-must-analyze-from-what-i-do-now-what-will-be-the-impact-two-or/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [If a financial institution has business operations in the United States, hires people in the United States, if they are clogged with illiquid assets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/if-a-financial-institution-has-business-operations-in-the-united/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [I can remember going back a couple of years later and, you know, think about it and I was doing a, kind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grimes/i-can-remember-going-back-a-couple-of-years-later-and-you-know-think/) [Richard Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grimes/) > [I went in the Marines when I was 16. I spent four and a half years in the Marines and then came right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-hackman/i-went-in-the-marines-when-i-was-16-i-spent-four-and-a-half-years-in/) [Gene Hackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-hackman/) > [I first met my husband when I was 15. He was very cool, in a band, all that kind of thing, but he took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natascha-mcelhone/i-first-met-my-husband-when-i-was-15-he-was-very-cool-in-a-band-all/) [Natascha McElhone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natascha-mcelhone/) > [Every era has its own list of ingredients that are considered exotic and then, 15 years later, they're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/every-era-has-its-own-list-of-ingredients-that-are-considered-exotic/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [I finished my first book seventy-six years ago. I offered it to every publisher on the English-speaking earth I had ever heard of. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-finished-my-first-book-seventy-six-years-ago-i-offered-it-to-every/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“As Alexander would confess years later, sex and sleep more than anything else reminded him that he was mortal. One”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-freeman/as-alexander-would-confess-years-later-sex-and-sleep-more-than/) [Philip Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-freeman/) > [I didn't know what some of the stuff on Astral Weeks was about until years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-didn-t-know-what-some-of-the-stuff-on-astral-weeks-was-about-until/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I never dreamt that when I first joined 'This Morning' - initially for a few months - that I would still be there 19…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hammond/i-never-dreamt-that-when-i-first-joined-this-morning-initially-for-a/) [Alison Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hammond/) > [“Maybe in this nation of the flesh, Distance will hold us together, as I try to remember her bent low to the bleeding heart’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-gloria/maybe-in-this-nation-of-the-flesh-distance-will-hold-us-together-as-i/) [Eugene Gloria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-gloria/) > [When you go to the Hollywood world and you wade in the waters out there, you never know who you’re going to meet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/when-you-go-to-the-hollywood-world-and-you-wade-in-the-waters-out/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [The last four years have not diluted the memory or weakened the resolve of our citizens. Four years later, our hearts still hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/the-last-four-years-have-not-diluted-the-memory-or-weakened-the/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) > [I have so many people come up to me, 20-some years later, and saying, "I loved you in Jawbreaker!".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-have-so-many-people-come-up-to-me-20-some-years-later-and-saying-i/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) ## More by Walter Becker > [Cynicism, I contend, is the wailing of someone who believes that things are, or should be, or could be, much, much better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/cynicism-i-contend-is-the-wailing-of-someone-who-believes-that-things/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [If it feels like we're re-creating something rather than creating something, we don't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/if-it-feels-like-we-re-re-creating-something-rather-than-creating/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [There's a great freedom in writing by yourself. You can write anything you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/there-s-a-great-freedom-in-writing-by-yourself-you-can-write-anything/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [Most of our songs are about relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/most-of-our-songs-are-about-relationships/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [That's sort of what we wanted to do: conquer from the margins, sort of find our place in the middle based on the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/that-s-sort-of-what-we-wanted-to-do-conquer-from-the-margins-sort-of/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [You have a kid, and it's like, 'He's gotta go to college! Gotta have some clothes!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-have-a-kid-and-it-s-like-he-s-gotta-go-to-college-gotta-have-some/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I think what television and video games do is reminiscent of drug addiction. There's a measure of reinforcement and a behavioural loop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-think-what-television-and-video-games-do-is-reminiscent-of-drug/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I guess actually playing on the records and touring is a great forced practice regimen for me. And you learn a lot playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-guess-actually-playing-on-the-records-and-touring-is-a-great-forced/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [We are constantly competing with the monsters from the id.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/we-are-constantly-competing-with-the-monsters-from-the-id/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I love guys like Charlie Parker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-love-guys-like-charlie-parker/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > ['Deacon Blues' was special for me. It's the only time I remember mixing a record all day and, when the mix was done, feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/deacon-blues-was-special-for-me-it-s-the-only-time-i-remember-mixing/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [It seemed like the more complex the music we were playing, the less able we were to guarantee its consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/it-seemed-like-the-more-complex-the-music-we-were-playing-the-less/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [Our career had a sort of funny shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/our-career-had-a-sort-of-funny-shape/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I think that there's the self-imposed pressure to come up with something that's good. For guys like us, that's much more important than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-think-that-there-s-the-self-imposed-pressure-to-come-up-with/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) > [I can never believe how much time and energy and money and talent and everything else is being poured into horrible ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-can-never-believe-how-much-time-and-energy-and-money-and-talent-and/) [Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) [Explore all 77 Walter Becker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't always count on the devices, attitudes, and conceits that stood you in good stead in 1972 or 1973, or 1978-79, to still have the same impact all these years later.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Becker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-attitudes-and-conceits-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-attitudes-and-conceits-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/walter-becker-8870_always_you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-at_1083953.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't always count on the devices, attitudes, and conceits that stood you in good stead in 1972 or 1973…” — Walter Becker", "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": "Walter Becker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't always count on the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-attitudes-and-conceits-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-can-t-always-count-on-the-devices-attitudes-and-conceits-that/#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 } } ] } ```