A dictionary of Marshall McLuhan’s quotations

Well, their attention span is very weak, as you know. We've invented the one-liner in place of the joke because people can't wait around to hear you tell a joke. It takes too long. "As for critics," said Sam Goldwyn, "don't even ignore them." That's a one-liner. That's all we have time for. Attention span gets very weak at the speed of light, and that goes along with a very weak identity.
“Violence as a Quest for Identity” (1977), reprinted in Understanding Me (2003), p 271
Year: 1977
Chapter: Attention
Compiled by William Kuhns
© 2026, The Estate of Marshall McLuhan