Quotes about attention
page 18

Richard Henry Lee photo

“The military forces of a free country may be considered under three general descriptions — 1. The militia. 2. the navy — and 3. the regular troops — and the whole ought ever to be, and understood to be, in strict subordination to the civil authority; and that regular troops, and select corps, ought not to be kept up without evident necessity. Stipulations in the constitution to this effect, are perhaps, too general to be of much service, except merely to impress on the minds of the people and soldiery, that the military ought ever to be subject to the civil authority, &c. But particular attention, and many more definite stipulations, are highly necessary to render the military safe, and yet useful in a free government; and in a federal republic, where the people meet in distinct assemblies, many stipulations are necessary to keep a part from transgressing, which would be unnecessary checks against the whole met in one legislature, in one entire government.”

Richard Henry Lee (1732–1794) American statesman

A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves, and render regular troops in a great measure unnecessary. The powers to form and arm the militia, to appoint their officers, and to command their services, are very important; nor ought they in a confederated republic to be lodged, solely, in any one member of the government. First, the constitution ought to secure a genuine and guard against a select militia, by providing that the militia shall always be kept well organized, armed, and disciplined, and include, according to the past and general usuage of the states, all men capable of bearing arms; and that all regulations tending to render this general militia useless and defenceless, by establishing select corps of militia, or distinct bodies of military men, not having permanent interests and attachments in the community to be avoided. I am persuaded, I need not multiply words to convince you of the value and solidity of this principle, as it respects general liberty, and the duration of a free and mild government: having this principle well fixed by the constitution, then the federal head may prescribe a general uniform plan, on which the respective states shall form and train the militia, appoint their officers and solely manage them, except when called into the service of the union, and when called into that service, they may be commanded and governed by the union. This arrangement combines energy and safety in it; it places the sword in the hands of the solid interest of the community, and not in the hands of men destitute of property, of principle, or of attachment to the society and government, who often form the select corps of peace or ordinary establishments: by it, the militia are the people, immediately under the management of the state governments, but on a uniform federal plan, and called into the service, command, and government of the union, when necessary for the common defence and general tranquility. But, say gentlemen, the general militia are for the most part employed at home in their private concerns, cannot well be called out, or be depended upon; that we must have a select militia; that is, as I understand it, particular corps or bodies of young men, and of men who have but little to do at home, particularly armed and disciplined in some measure, at the public expence, and always ready to take the field. These corps, not much unlike regular troops, will ever produce an inattention to the general militia; and the consequence has ever been, and always must be, that the substantial men, having families and property, will generally be without arms, without knowing the use of them, and defenceless; whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it. As a farther check, it may be proper to add, that the militia of any state shall not remain in the service of the union, beyond a given period, without the express consent of the state legislature.
Additional Letters From The Federal Farmer, 169 (1788)

Ulysses S. Grant photo
Tina Fey photo

“Do the NBC bigheads really pay attention to these message boards?”

Tina Fey (1970) American comedian, writer, producer and actress

Um, I don't know if they read the message boards. I hope so, because I write fifty to a thousand fake posts a week, mostly, uh, saying that I'm really good and that no else is as good as me. So, I hope they listen to that because I'm trying to get a raise.
"Ask Tina" segment from NBC's 30 Rock website

John Muir photo
William James photo
Jane Austen photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Robert Greene photo
Salvador Dalí photo

“It was in 1929 that Salvador Dali [Dali is writing about himself] brought his attention to hear upon the internal mechanism of paranoiac phenomena and envisaged the possibility of an experimental method based on the sudden power of the systematic associations proper to paranoia; this method afterwards became the delirio-critical synthesis which hears the name of "paranoiac-critical activity."”

Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) Spanish artist

Paranoia: delirium of interpretive association bearing a systematic structure. Paranoiac-critical activity: spontaneous method of irrational knowledge based upon the interpretive-critical association of delirious phenomena.
Source: Quotes of Salvador Dali, 1931 - 1940, My Pictorial Struggle', S. Dali, 1935, Chapter: 'My Pictorial Struggle', p. 15

Richard Dawkins photo

“To an atheist […], there is no all-seeing all-loving god to keep us free from harm. But atheism is not a recipe for despair. I think the opposite. By disclaiming the idea of the next life, we can take more excitement in this one. The here and now is not something to be endured before eternal bliss or damnation. The here and now is all we have, an inspiration to make the most of it. So atheism is life-affirming, in a way religion can never be. Look around you. Nature demands our attention, begs us to explore, to question. Religion can provide only facile, ultimately unsatisfying answers. Science, in constantly seeking real explanations, reveals the true majesty of our world in all its complexity. People sometimes say "There must be more than just this world, than just this life."”

Richard Dawkins (1941) English ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author

But how much more do you want? We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they’re never going to be born. The number of people who could be here, in my place, outnumber the sand grains of Sahara. If you think about all the different ways in which our genes could be permuted, you and I are quite grotesquely lucky to be here, the number of events that had to happen in order for you to exist, in order for me to exist. We are privileged to be alive and we should make the most of our time on this world.
End of the part 2: "The Virus of Faith" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMUG6qd98wc
The Root of All Evil? (January 2006)

N. K. Jemisin photo
June Downey photo

“Writing with attention preoccupied or distracted results variously in the enlargement or dwarfing of characters, an alternative result that seems to depend upon deep-seated tendencies of the individual.”

June Downey (1875–1932) American psychologist

August 1909, Popular Science Monthly Volume 75, Article:"The Varificational Factor in Handwriting", p. 151
about Handwriting

Victor Hugo photo
T.S. Eliot photo
Dylan Moran photo

“I figure there's two things in a movie: that you are looking at something, you are listening to something. So I like to put a lot of attention into the music and into the recording of the dialogue and into the sets.”

Anna Biller (1965) film director

FrightFest 2016 - The Love Witch Interview with Anna Biller - 4 Sep 2016, at 0 Min 30 Sec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x4awb_fS84
From interview with FrightFest

Immanuel Kant photo

“It seems, moreover, that my argument has some relevance to choices we must make even now. There are some species of large predatory animals, such as the Siberian tiger, that are currently on the verge of extinction. If we do nothing to preserve it, the Siberian tiger as a species may soon become extinct. The number of extant Siberian tigers has been low for a considerable period. Any ecological disruption occasioned by their dwindling numbers has largely already occurred or is already occurring. If their number in the wild declines from several hundred to zero, the impact of their disappearance on the ecology of the region will be almost negligible. Suppose, however, that we could repopulate their former wide-ranging habitat with as many Siberian tigers as there were during the period in which they flourished in their greatest numbers, and that that population could be sustained indefinitely. That would mean that herbivorous animals in the extensive repopulated area would again, and for the indefinite future, live in fear and that an incalculable number would die in terror and agony while being devoured by a tiger. In a case such as this, we may actually face the kind of dilemma I called attention to in my article, in which there is a conflict between the value of preserving existing species and the value of preventing suffering and early death for an enormously large number of animals.”

Jeff McMahan (philosopher) (1954) American philosopher

" Predators: A Response https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/predators-a-response/", The New York Times, 28 Sept. 2010

Elif Shafak photo

“I learned to pay attention to the readers and not to the madness…Because to be a writer in Turkey is a bit like being kissed on one cheek and slapped on the other.”

Elif Shafak (1971) Turkish writer

On focusing on her readership in “Elif Shafak: ‘I thought the British were calm about politics. Not any longer’” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/16/elif-shalak-i-thought-the-british-were-calm-about-politics-booker-prize-shortlist in The Guardian (2019 Sep 16)

John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn photo
Lucy Parsons photo

“Oh, working man! Oh, starved, outraged, and robbed laborer, how long will you lend attentive ear to the authors of your misery? When will you become tired of your slavery and show the same by stepping boldly into the arena with those who declare that "Not to be a slave is to dare and DO?"”

Lucy Parsons (1853–1942) American communist anarchist labor organizer

When will you tire of such a civilization and declare in words, the bitterness of which shall not be mistaken, "Away with a civilization that thus degrades me; it is not worth the saving?"

"Our Civilization: Is It Worth Saving?" (1885)

Rik Mayall photo

“I can be gloriously stupid, but if it helps to divert peoples attentions from the grimness of life, I’m happy.”

Rik Mayall (1958–2014) British comedian and actor

Daily Mail, September 2003 https://rikmayallinterviews.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/deadlier-than-the-mayall/

Liv Tyler photo
William Osler photo
Paulo Coelho photo
Edmund Burke photo
John F. Kennedy photo
Georges C. Benjamin photo

“Syringes are probably less of a problem than vials and stoppers. If I was wanting to pay attention to what can go wrong (for COVID-19 vaccination), it'd be that.”

Georges C. Benjamin (1952) american public health official

Georges C. Benjamin (2020) cited in " This Is How We'll Vaccinate the World Against COVID-19 https://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/this-is-how-well-vaccinate-the-world-against-covid19" on IEEE Spectrum, 15 December 2020.

Bonar Law photo
Jon Ossoff photo
James Thomson (B.V.) photo
Prevale photo

“In love and friendship small attentions give great emotions.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: (it) In amore e in amicizia piccole attenzioni regalano grandi emozioni.
Source: prevale.net

Louis-Marie de Blignières photo
Celeste Ng photo
Diadochos of Photiki photo
J. Howard Moore photo
J. Howard Moore photo
Neil H. Jacoby photo

“An institution is likely to be more searchingly appraised if attention is focused at the outset upon its faults rather than its virtues.”

Neil H. Jacoby (1909–1979) University professor and public servant

Source: Corporate Power and Social Responsibility: A Blueprint for the Future (1973), p. 3

“When the police enforce the law, they do so unevenly, in ways that give disproportionate attention to the activities of poor people, people of color, and others near the bottom of the social pyramid. And when the police violate the law, these same people are their most frequent victims.”

Kristian Williams (1974) American historian

at the bottom. Put differently, we might say that the police act to defend the interests and standing of those with power—those at the top. So long as they serve in this role, they are likely to be given a free hand in pursuing these ends and a great deal of leeway in pursuing other ends that they identify for themselves. The laws may say otherwise, but laws can be ignored.
Rights, riots and police brutality, 2020

Newt Gingrich photo
Richard Price photo
Paul Simon photo

“A man walks down the street
He says why am I short of attention
Got a short little span of attention
And woe my nights are so long”

Paul Simon (1941) American musician, songwriter and producer

You Can Call Me Al
Song lyrics, Graceland (1986)

Prevale photo

“The person who constantly catches your attention dominates: instinct, heart, mood and reason.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: La persona che cattura costantemente la tua attenzione domina: istinto, cuore, umore e ragione.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Surrounded only by people who pay attention to you, the rest deserves no consideration.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: (it) Circondati solo di persone che ti prestano attenzione, il resto non merita considerazione.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Attentions make exist.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: (it) ​Le attenzioni fanno esistere.
Source: prevale.net

Buckminster Fuller photo

“Friends are admiring my age and health, and asking me the secret to live to such an age in good health. I usually answer them frankly: I have never paid attention to my health and age.”

Peter Chung Hoan Ting (1928) Malaysian catholic priest

Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung celebrates his 90th birthday http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/archbishop-emeritus-peter-chung-celebrates-his-90th-birthday/44331/1 (September 21, 2018)

“Another favorite means of arresting the attention was by modulation; not used in a constructive in different keys, but to furnish the ear with a purely sensuous delight, corresponding to that which the eye derives from the kaleidoscopic colors of a sunset.”

Walter Raymond Spalding (1865–1962) American music pedagogue and author

Pages 164–165 https://books.google.com/books?id=pQARAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA164.
Music: An Art and a Language (1920), The Romantic Composers. Schubert and Weber (Ch. XII)

Marilyn Manson photo
Suraj Sani photo

“In as much as people are fascinated by stories, we writers have a duty to reflect issues that need attention in society.”

Suraj Sani (1996) Nigerian writer, Spoken word artist

Interview (12-12-2020), Vanguard Nigeria https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/12/how-my-writings-would-contribute-to-the-fight-against-terrorism-suraj-sani/

Joe Armstrong photo

“Do we really need to hijack our attention systems every 10 seconds with a banner?”

Joe Armstrong (1950–2019) British computer scientist

The Forgotten Ideas in Computer Science

Zhiar Ali photo
Mwanandeke Kindembo photo
Mwanandeke Kindembo photo
Prevale photo

“What you want is achieved by deciding that you can get it: where you focus your attention, attraction flows.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: (it) Quello che vuoi si ottiene decidendo che puoi ottenerlo: dove concentri la tua attenzione, fluisce l'attrazione.
Source: prevale.net

Angela Davis photo
Charles Fillmore photo
Alexandre Kojève photo

“Starting with "I think," Descartes fixed his attention only on the "think," completely neglecting the "I."”

Alexandre Kojève (1902–1968) Russian-born French philosopher and statesman

Source: Introduction to the Reading of Hegel: Lectures on the Phenomenology of Spirit, assembled by Raymond Queneau, edited by Allan Bloom, translated by James H. Nichols, Jr. (1969), p. 36
Context: Now, this I is essential. For Man, and consequently the Philosopher, is not only Consciousness, but also- and above all-Self-Consciousness. Man is not only a being that thinks - i.e., reveals Being by Logos, by Speech formed of words that have a meaning. He reveals in addition -also by Speech - the being that reveals Being, the being that he himself is, the revealing being that he opposes to the revealed being by giving it the name Ich or Selbst, I or Self.

Angela Davis photo
Madeline Carroll photo

“It's true what your mother says, I think any boy who doesn't see that you're special, doesn't deserve your attention.”

Madeline Carroll (1996) American actress

Source: Madeline Carroll Talks New Film ‘Destined To Ride’ – Exclusive Interview https://www.celebsecrets.com/madeline-carroll-talks-new-film-destined-to-ride-exclusive-interview/ (August 30, 2018)

“Seek respect, not attention. It lasts longer.”

Ziad K Abdelnour (1960) Lebanese-born American investment banker, financier, activist and author

Source: Economic Warfare Quotes

Arthur C. Clarke photo

“Such craziness captured media attention, but was fortunately still rare.”

Source: 2000s and posthumous publications, A Time Odyssey, Sunstorm (2005), Chapter 27, “The Tin Lid” (p. 207)

Scott Adams photo
José Maria Neves photo

“Security and stability are strategic resources for Cape Verde and I will pay particular attention to them.”

José Maria Neves (1960) Cape Verdean politician and former prime minister of Cape Verde

Source: José Maria Neves (2021) cited in " Jose Maria Neves sworn in as new Cape Verde president https://www.africanews.com/2021/11/09/jose-maria-neves-sworn-in-as-new-cape-verde-president/" on Africa News, 9 November 2021.

Jay Samit photo

“Next time you get lost in thought, pay attention to where you went for therein lies your inner passion.”

Jay Samit (1961) American businessman

Future Proofing You (2021)

Gilbert O'Sullivan photo
Ron English photo

“Sometimes you have to do something dangerous to get death's attention.”

Ron English (1959) American artist

Ron English's Fauxlosophy: Volume 2 (2022)

“We cannot speak of human rights without centering our attention on conscience, one among a few distinctive features that make humans human‒and humane.”

"Tai Ji Men: A Voyage to the Center of Conscience" https://bitterwinter.org/tai-ji-men-a-voyage-to-the-center-of-conscience/

J.C. Ryle photo

“Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be got by hard, regular, daily, attentive, wakeful reading.”

J.C. Ryle (1816–1900) Anglican bishop

Matthew IV: 1–11, p. 26
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Matthew (1856)

David Allen photo

“Your attention will continue to be grabbed by anything until you give it the appropriate attention.”

David Allen (1945) American productivity consultant and author

18 September 2009 https://twitter.com/gtdguy/status/4084592042
Official Twitter profile (@gtdguy) https://twitter.com/gtdguy

Vitali Klitschko photo

“I want to draw attention of everybody [to the fact that] I met with numerous policemen who died, with the protesters who died, and all of them are asking...”

Vitali Klitschko (1971) Ukrainian boxer and politician

2014
Source: [Ненко, Илья, Лучшие цитаты Виталия Кличко — в честь 50-летия главного оратора планеты MAXIM, https://www.maximonline.ru/guide/luchshie-citaty-vitaliya-klichko-v-chest-50-letiya-glavnogo-oratora-planety-id668472/, 2022-06-13, www.maximonline.ru, ru]
Source: * Кличко ляпы сборник ** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9vNDyAn7yAt=125s ** en ** 2022-06-13

Zhang Yimou photo

“It is true that I was a cinematographer, so for me, the narration of the spectacular is powerful and important. I always pay special attention to the expression of the pictures. It has always been my style.”

Zhang Yimou (1950) Chinese actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer

"No one to be Missed" in Off Screen https://offscreen.com/view/zhang_yimou (April 1999)

Zhang Yufei photo

“At the beginning, I thought I was an ordinary athlete, and I didn't think too much about it. But as people asked me for a lot of things, I also felt that I should pay attention to my words and deeds. No longer. Can't let my temper anymore.”

Zhang Yufei (1998) Chinese swimmer

"Forced to open! Zhang Yufei: At the beginning of the National Games, I only signed up for 6 items, but the coach secretly added 2 items" in 163.com https://www.163.com/dy/article/GK9TP0F60529ETIH.html (19 September 2021)

Marcelo Gleiser photo

“When most people think of nature, they want to look for perfection and for symmetry and balance, ... But if you really pay attention you are going to see that what actually makes nature tick are the imbalances, the imperfections, the asymmetries.”

Marcelo Gleiser (1959) Brazilian physicist

" Physicist Marcelo Gleiser Asks the Big Questions" https://news.dartmouth.edu/news/2011/08/physicist-marcelo-gleiser-asks-big-questions, dartmouth.edu (August 26, 2011)

Prevale photo

“Loving means knowing how to listen, being there, knowing how to prioritize, the attentions. To love means to complete each other.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Amare vuol dire saper ascoltare, esserci, saper dare la priorità, le attenzioni. Amare significa completarsi.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Always choose people who know how to pay attention to details, who know how to be grateful for your attention, but above all choose people who know how to value your time and your person.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Scegli sempre persone che sappiano prestare attenzione ai dettagli, che sappiano essere grate per le tue attenzioni, ma soprattutto scegli persone che sappiano valorizzare il tuo tempo e la tua persona.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Someone's life, you make happy by telling them sincerely "I love you", "I miss you", dedicating attention to them and transmitting to them the joy that you feel everyday… for their existence.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: La vita di qualcuno, la rendi felice dicendogli sinceramente "ti amo", "mi manchi", dedicandogli attenzioni e trasmettendogli la gioia che provi ogni giorno... per la sua esistenza.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Attention: the world of entertainment illuminates, excites… it destroys.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Attenzione: il mondo dello spettacolo illumina, emoziona... distrugge.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Giving and receiving love is one of the wonders of existence. Loving is attention, protection, care and passion. Love: it is daring to give your heart.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Dare e ricevere amore è una delle meraviglie dell'esistenza. Amare è attenzione, protezione, cura e passione. L'amore: è osare donare il proprio cuore.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Happiness is found in simple gestures, in attention… in cordial acknowledgments and welcome appreciation.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: La felicità si trova nei semplici gesti, nelle attenzioni... in cordiali riconoscimenti e graditi apprezzamenti.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Teenage love is so pure that you think it can last forever. You give your better half attention, importance, gratitude. Then, when you grow up, looking back on it, you realize you've done a big, useless shit.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: L'amore adolescenziale è così puro che si pensa possa durare per sempre. Doni alla tua dolce metà attenzione, importanza, gratitudine. Poi, quando si cresce, ripensandoci, ci si rende conto di aver fatto una grande, inutile stronzata.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“Thought and attention are the demonstration of how much one cares for a person.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Il pensiero e l'attenzione sono la dimostrazione di quanto si tenga ad una persona.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“We pay too much attention to the negative events that happen to us. It's essential think positively, especially in moments of fragility, life can reserve us suddenly something surprisingly wonderful.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Prestiamo troppa attenzione agli eventi negativi che ci accadono. È essenziale pensare positivamente, soprattutto nei momenti di fragilità, la vita può riservarci all'improvviso qualcosa di sorprendentemente meraviglioso.
Source: prevale.net

Prevale photo

“In love, attentions are the best actions.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: In amore, le attenzioni sono le migliori azioni.
Source: prevale.net