We have met the Devil of Information Overload and his impish underlings, the computer virus, the busy signal, the dead link, and the PowerPoint presentation.
James GleickRead
Neither technology nor efficiency can acquire more time for you, because time is not a thing you have lost. It is not a thing you ever had.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that time is not something we possess or can regain; rather, it is a fundamental aspect of existence that we experience.
James Gleick's quote emphasizes the elusive nature of time, highlighting that despite our desire to manage or optimize it through technology and efficiency, we cannot actually 'acquire' more time. It posits that time is not a resource to be hoarded or lost but a continuous experience that shapes our lives, implying that accepting this reality can lead to a more meaningful engagement with the present.
Themes
TimeTechnologyEfficiencyPhilosophyExistence
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a presentation about time management.
More from James Gleick
All quotes βA good part of 'The Information' is about the transition from an oral to a literary culture. Books effected such a great transformation in the way we think about the world, our history, our logic, mathematics, you name it. I think we would be greatly diminished as a people and as a culture if the book became obsolete.
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