You spend so much time in the world of virtual that the actual - which nothing is more actual than stand-up - it's a painful experience for the audience, and the comedian a lot of time - we miss that.
Jerry SeinfeldRead
There is no such thing as an attention span. There is only the quality of what you are viewing. This whole idea of an attention span is, I think, a misnomer. People have an infinite attention span if you are entertaining them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Attention span is dependent on the quality of engagement rather than a fixed trait.
In this quote, Jerry Seinfeld suggests that the concept of an 'attention span' may be a misleading idea. He argues that people can focus infinitely on things that entertain or engage them, indicating that the quality of what one is viewing determines how long they can pay attention, rather than an inherent limitation in their ability to concentrate.
Themes
AttentionFocusEngagementEntertainmentQuality
In practice
Example use cases
In a presentation about effective teaching methods, you might quote Seinfeld to emphasize the importance of engaging content.
More from Jerry Seinfeld
All quotes →I didn't know every day I would be discussing the tone of my voice with my wife. I thought it was a marriage. Apparently, it's a musical.
Jerry SeinfeldRead
You know why dogs have no money? No pockets. 'Cause they see change on the street all the time and it's driving them crazy. When you're walking them, he is always looking up at you. "There's a quarter...."
Jerry SeinfeldRead
According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.
Jerry SeinfeldRead
There's very little advice in men's magazines, because men don't think there's a lot they don't know. Women do. Women want to learn. Men think, 'I know what I'm doing, just show me somebody naked.'
Jerry SeinfeldRead
When you make a TV show, they always say you're a guest in someone's home. Online, you're a guest in someone's face. So that's why I try to make it sound and look and feel very inviting and attractive, because I know that I'm in your face.
Jerry SeinfeldRead
Similar quotes
The human faculties of perception, judgment, discriminative feeling, mental activity, and even moral preference, are exercised only in making a choice. He who does anything because it is the custom, makes no choice.
John Stuart MillRead
I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man than to take the path that leads to himself.
Hermann HesseRead
Opinions, like showers, are generated in high places, but they invariably descend into lower ones, and ultimately flow down to the people as rain unto the sea.
Charles Caleb ColtonRead
Although nature commences with reason and ends in experience it is necessary for us to do the opposite, that is to commence with experience and from this to proceed to investigate the reason.
Leonardo Da VinciRead
If prosperity is regarded as the reward of virtue it will be regarded as the symptom of virtue.
Gilbert K. ChestertonRead
In what terms should we think of these beings, nonhuman yet possessing so very many human-like characteristics? How should we treat them? Surely we should treat them with the same consideration and kindness as we show to other humans; and as we recognize human rights, so too should we recognize the rights of the great apes? Yes.
Jane GoodallRead