Attention Span, An Antique Concept

MonacoMike

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2009
14,721
Indiana lakes and Lake Michigan
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2000 Cruisers 3870
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As many of you know I love to share jokes, particularly to tell them. My unscientific observation is that Millennial's do not have the attention span for more than one liners. But while they are subjects with the least attention span, I find that even among the average CSR type, attention spans have dropped sharply.

Do you see this in yourself? I see it in me. Do you see it in your friends?

I used to read books, many per year. Haven't read a book, cover to cover, this year, I want Cliff notes. Technology is leading us to where we are dumber, all while we think we are smarter because Siri or Google has the answer.

Hope you made it this far. LOL

MM
 
Too much after hours work these days. Most nights I have my lap top in my lap half watching and listening to TV while I answer emails, send emails go over reports, send out meeting invites and conference calls. I am two years away from retirement and can’t wait to sit on my boat and read a book.
 
Too much after hours work these days. Most nights I have my lap top in my lap half watching and listening to TV while I answer emails, send emails go over reports, send out meeting invites and conference calls. I am two years away from retirement and can’t wait to sit on my boat and read a book.

I think you are like most of us, then add texts that are expected to be answered immediately. I think I understand why we are getting shorter attention spans. But even when I do have time to read a book I'm bored and distracted, likely because we all live on sensory overload.

MM
 
Do you see this in yourself? I see it in me. Do you see it in your friends?

I used to read books, many per year. Haven't read a book, cover to cover, this year, I want Cliff notes. Technology is leading us to where we are dumber, all while we think we are smarter because Siri or Google has the answer.MM
I see it in myself in certain ways. On my Kindle I have a few different news sources. When I open one of them then scroll down through the articles, I'll open one that sounds interesting but if I can't get the gist of the article within the first few paragraphs (For you Millennials, that's when a speaker would pause or change the subject) I'm outa there. It must not have been all that damned important anyway.

Now books, that's a different story. I got my kindle 3 years ago. In the intervening months I've read about 350 novels. That's about 1 every 3 or 4 days. I download them for free, usually 2-3 at a time and get to keep them for up to 21 days. If I like the author they never last that long because I've read them. If I don't like the author they're deleted off the Kindle in about 10 pages or less.
 
How about limiting the threads to only 5 entries. Longer threads are too hard to follow.
(I used to think I had ADHD, then I got to work with middle school children)
 
IMG_2098.JPG
I see it in myself in certain ways. On my Kindle I have a few different news sources. When I open one of them then scroll down through the articles, I'll open one that sounds interesting but if I can't get the gist of the article within the first few paragraphs (For you Millennials, that's when a speaker would pause or change the subject) I'm outa there. It must not have been all that damned important anyway.

Now books, that's a different story. I got my kindle 3 years ago. In the intervening months I've read about 350 novels. That's about 1 every 3 or 4 days. I download them for free, usually 2-3 at a time and get to keep them for up to 21 days. If I like the author they never last that long because I've read them. If I don't like the author they're deleted off the Kindle in about 10 pages or less.
Kindles are great. My children gave me one a few years ago and it is always with me. Alternate reading easy stuff like Patterson with serious books of all types. Go through a book or more per week depending on the content.
 
Still read two newspapers a day, along with other online articles, on my iPad. Usually while on one of the machines at the gym in the morning.
I’ve got a bunch of books downloaded to my Kindle App and enjoy reading them during the rare down times, mostly on the boat while hanging at my dock.
My Kindle got a real workout when my kids were little and I was shuttling and waiting for them at their “extra-curricular” activities. Got to read tons of books over those years.
It’s since been retired in favor of the Kindle App on the iPad.
 
I agree with you on the attention span part of your comment. Perhaps it is a limited tolerance for detail or information among even those who are asking for help.

I do this forum stuff to help others enjoy their boats and boating. Some of the questions asked on CSR require some explanation and some level of detail. I don't mind providing it to get members the right answer. It is frustrating when in the next 10 posts, 4 one line readers have taken a shotgun approach and have given partial and incomplete guesses at the answer the OP needed. Making it painfully obvious that they didn't bother to even read the 4 paragraph post I labored over.

You cannot properly answer some of the questions members post is a one line, text format with abbreviations, incomplete sentences and no punctuation.

And, yes, I read 2-3 books a month. If you haven't tried one, take a look at the Kindle Paper white backlit e-reader....it will change your approach to reading and save you from lugging around 5 lbs pf paper.
 
Frank, by way of a "thank you", when you answer someone I always read your entire post. The knowledge gained is definitely worth the time it takes to read and digest your posts.

sbw1 said:
Alternate reading easy stuff like Patterson with serious books of all types.
He's one of my favorite authors. Last night's download included:
A Brotherhood of Warriors by Aaron Cohen
Mark Twain Autobiographical Writings
Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy by Jim Proser
 
Frank, by way of a "thank you", when you answer someone I always read your entire post. The knowledge gained is definitely worth the time it takes to read and digest your posts.

I always read Frank’s posts in their entirety as well, even about things I don’t have. One can learn so much from them. Thanks Frank

MM
 
Love my kindle white..Read it every night ... beats hall sex..lol
But I agree with Monaco mike rekids today and most millennials attention span being short.I have 6 grandkids all older than my 5 year old son. My stepdaughters age 34 & 36 definitely lack it and thier kids ..and Im starting to notice senior moments in my self.....uh..what was I saying..??
 
Had a millennial pull half way out in my lane, before they saw me, then stop and look at me, then just blankly stare ahead, in a marked company vehicle. No apology, they are special, remember? Just lost like a ball in high weeds.

MM
 
I was just thinking that I would.....Oh look! It's a daisy!!
 

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