77. ALBERT EINSTEIN: A human being is part of a whole
I was actually looking for a short Einstein quote to complete my poster trilogy (poster one and two) but came across this beautiful passage submitted in the comments section by reader Matthew (thanks mate). It was too good not to adapt. Einstein wrote this in 1950 in a letter to a mourning father who had just lost his young son, but I thought it could apply to the current smartphone and social media obsession in today’s culture.
I don’t know about you but my attention span has decreased dramatically in the past few years. I’ve started lots of novels but I haven’t finished one in ages. I can barely stay focused when I’m having a conversation and my mind is always going in a thousand different directions. I don’t even play video games anymore because I just get bored after a few levels. I haven’t done any research but this has to be related to the rise of smartphones and social media, where instant connection, approval and gratification awaits. I’m constantly checking my phone, whether it be my email, Facebook or Twitter (I don’t think I could handle anymore, like Pinterest, Instagram or Google+), and it’s my security blanket when I’m alone in public. This can’t be good. And I’m nearly 30, I can’t imagine what this over-stimulation is doing to a 12-year-old.
I’m not saying social media is bad, it has obviously helped this site a lot – I just need to find a nice balance and learn to focus on the real world, not the digital one.
UPDATE: Here’s a great article I found from 2008 that goes into detail on what I’m talking about. Is Google making us stupid?
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I know that feel and I feel guilty sometimes.
excellent modern interpretation of a beautiful mind who was (and is) mr. einstein. well done!
I was half-hoping you would include Pluto in. Sigh. Sorry, the nostalgia still gets to me. :/
Great comic by the way! I’m glad to say I’ve cut down a lot on the use of social media. I’ve so far resisted signing up on Tumblr. Still not the slightest bit tempted. I even managed to get myself out of my 9Gag addiction!
A great piece. Truly the smartphones and their sorts have radically changed human culture (where they are part of it, that is) in some ways for good, in some ways for bad. Not sure which one most.
I personally thinks that this one begs for a continuation, like the “Poetic Justice” trilogy you made. Perhaps an “Awakening” series of sorts?
Whoa, Einstein said this? It’s sounds very much like eastern mysticism.
It does indeed, after all, insight into human consciousness and our place in the universe isn’t dependant on living in east or west.
Excellent! So many folks, especially kids my son’s age, are afflicted with this Optical Delusion of Consciousness.
Keep it up, I look forward to your art.
Such a beautiful comic Gavin
i find myself doing that and am seriously trying to break out of it. you know, checking my iphone while waiting for the bus, for a friend, after hitting the alarm bell in the morning. must. break. out.
thanks, gav!
Gav, I know how you feel. I think this book does a great job at trying to explain it all. http://www.amazon.com/The-Shallows-Internet-Doing-Brains/dp/0393072223
As always, love your work!
Looks like the perfect book for this topic, thanks Eric
It’s very interesting to hear you “say” this. It is a topic I think a lot about. I’m old enough to be your mum and I don’t have a Twitter account. I have email and facebook. I think when you experience too much of the world virtually, you lose the human/devine connection. I read an interview with George Clooney where he said that he’d rather people stop and say “Hello” to his face than just take his picture with a cell phone. I think social media can do great good. While I was sick it was my only connection sometimes with my friends. But, I do so love seeing my friends in person and spending quality time with them. One beauty of social networking is it allows me to experience your work and to meet people all over the world. That connection makes me want to have a real life conversation with them. Technology is a tool and if we use it, instead of letting it rule us; then it is good.
Exactly, without social media I wouldn’t have found so many great readers like yourself
haha, that earth really knocked some sense into him XD
I love your interpretation of this one.
I wrote about this on my blog- click on my website and look for ‘Twitter Quitter’
Not bad.
As it is said, everything in moderation.
Let me ask, Gav, do you practice most of the things you draw, or are you at least truly trying to?
Also, this. Unfortunately the poster edited out the creator’s name…
http://9gag.com/gag/5251401
Interesting to think about, if not practical or even a good lifestyle.
Of course I’m trying to, but obviously I don’t live by every quote otherwise I would be some sort of perfect human being, and they don’t exist
Haha, yes, I assumed so, just making sure. I, personally, am both overwhelmed and lazy, and therefore it is quite difficult for me to start putting these into practice. Which was a possibility for you.
@Calibur: The author is Zach Weiner of SMBC.
@Gav: Really Nice!
Excellent comic. I agree with this wholly. And, a beautiful representation of the same
The first thing I did after being without internet for the summer because of working at a summer camp was catch up on your site. Thank you for keeping up with the absolutely amazing work.
I noticed on your blog that you have put up a flattr and paypal button somewhere. I can’t seem to find them anywhere :/ I would love to contribute back a little bit so if you could let me know where they’re out I would love to return the favor!
Thanks Emily, the flattr button is back up, on the sidebar. Got rid of the Paypal one. Appreciate the support
You know what?
I’ll bet Einstein’s twitter feed would have been hysterical.
you’re great Gav… as always! I like it so much… I got some realizations today again. Thank you!
Thank you also for the sender of the quote…
Good one again Gav. I wanted to ask you something, it’s about your signature . I find it interesting that you had gone for your middle and last name, and left your first name. Is there a specific reason for that.
hey Gav
happy to read this one 
i don’t use Blackberry, and the only app i used alot on my smartphone, is quick search on google. I don’t use instagram. Rarely update my twitter (and only follow less than 10 account), opens facebook once in every couple months.
of course, i still have my daily dose of random knowledge sites (including yours).
and despite of the difficulties i already have with my time consuming office hours ( often work for more than 13 hours a day), i still have several moments for me to be me.
Cooking, sewing, reading (a novel a week). the only thing i’m lack of, is some sports outside. XD
but i can assure you, and probably anyone who seems to be disagree with what you’re interpreting here (if there’s any), is that being not always connected to others through artificial media (internet), isn’t going to make you lose your comfort zone when you’re alone in the crowd. not even gonna make you an “out of dated” person. in Fact, i should say, you’ll find more experience in real life.
you’re living your life to the fullest.
because i can tell you, that i am so happy to be able to say “hey, i made this dress myself !”, or “i already read the new ones by Riordan !”, or ” i made this sushi ! let’s have lunch together and do some real conversation instead of sending walls on fb !
”
so yeah. even for one day. try to live your day to its best, without soc med or any apps and accounts everywhere. you’ll see what i mean.
love.
Thanks Ara, beautifully said
So true! This is awesome.
I really liked how to interpreted this one. Loved how you made the guy stoop, we are always hunched in front of our computers! I am doing a PhD and over the years I can definitely feel my attention spans drop, I skim through articles, flip through photos, ‘like’ because it’s easy and I’m lazier. A good book and a little sunshine would make us so much happier. Which is why I am not buying that new smartphone : )
Great drawing, Gavin. Beautiful quote. I really love your work. Amazing talent.
I know you have it in a social media context here but I sort of think it was Einstein’s way of saying in his time, let’s try to be aware of more each other, and of life, and the beauty of life we take for granted. That’s the beauty of great wisdom, as true now as it was the day Einstein thought it.
Great work bro
there is trick to liberate oneself of this: abuse it to your utmost limits and you will return a free man or not return at all… kindda abuse sweets as a child until you get sick and you will not like that sweet in particular as an adult… but i think we are going through a phase with this media thing, it will pass
Hi! Beautiful this one. Buda, the Upanishads, Michelle Montaigne, Schopenhauer, so many people thinking this way, we’re just our own prisions, and compassion is the only way to reach the true Nirvana…
Yellow Gavin, nice work. I agree with you in terms of need of balance focus. I suggest you the movie Way of the Peaceful Warrior ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDNobJ-wmPI&feature=related) it been a nice inspiration for me and i belive you will enjoy.
Thanks for your share.
Wow, what a nice comic. The quote is obviously good and your interpretation is great. Nice job! I’ve also been thinking a lot about how much social media has affect me and I agree with you – we need to find a balance, for our own good. I’m almost 30 too and my attention span has decreased dramatically as well. I feel constantly anxious and I’m always checking my phone. Good to know I’m not the only one feeling disturbed about it.
Cheers from Brazil,
Ana.
Times change and we gotta change with them. Maybe these days your attention span is going down because you don’t find that deep knowledge of a subject is as important as a wider understanding of many fields and how to access them. You lose something in that but you gain something too.
I don’t think it’s right to blame social media and constant internet access. It’s always been hard to be productive and focused, attaining your goals will always require hard work and discipline. Perhaps we are raising a generation of hyperactive, uncommitted, overstimulated tech junkies. Or perhaps we’re raising a generation of multitasking computer literates. Or more likely it’s a bit of both and a lot more of the same old.
Well-said, sir.
Beautiful! Loved it.
Although Einstein was not a Zen Buddhist, to my knowledge, this quote captures the the core essence of Zen nearly perfectly!
Gav,
Thanks for all the great quotes. As someone close to your age and doing computer systems work professionally I know the feeling. As with anything keep your virtual life going in moderation. Unplug yourself, force yourself to be without something electronic at least one day a week. In time you’ll be a lot more fulfilled with both.
This kind of feeling is what caused me to go back from videogames to boardgames. For everything cool and shiny videogaming offers, they simply cannot beat the awesome experience of gathering your friends around a table and pushing pieces of cardboard and wood around.
Great comic, as always.
“I haven’t done any research but this has to be related to the rise of smartphones and social media” A silly comment from an intelligent guy. Similar things have been said about every major invention since the printing press. In my childhood, it was TV adverts and computers in the home. For my younger brother, it was MTV and video games. The only person that determines your attention span is you.
You are really clever, to say the least! Love your interpretation and how you presented it.
Anyway lately even I have been increasingly frustrated by the instant gratification component of the internet and social media. I had actually began to care about likes and comments. That too the number rather than the content. So I deactivated Facebook recently and have stopped going to sites like 9gag. I plan on picking up new hobbies and going on long treks and hikes and NOT taking pictures to share. You just reinforced my resolved so thank you, you beautiful person.
In this days, is sooo easy to blame to the cell technology and to the informatic technology for all our distractions. Just because they are something new, they are in almost every aspect of our lives, and (most important) they are something we can touch and look.
But. There are others distractions more powerful and more dangerous: wrong information, wrong concepts and wrong ideas. Which make us feel fear and hate. Wich make us feel lost in the life. And that is exactly way there are wrong. For make us feel like that.
They too are in almost every aspect of our lives. But we can’t touch them or look at them and they are here for a long, long time. That is way there are more powerful and more dangerous than an iphone or a PC. In fact, this are the things that can take us to that stuffs.
Sorry for any mistake in my english. I’m practicing.
Salutes from Bs As, Argentina.
Found this interesting article that explains it way better than I can: ‘Is Google making us stupid?
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/
God, am so guilty of this, but last week, i decided to delete my acebook app from my phone. I definitely felt better. heheh, thanks Gav, as always. seeya tomorrow.
Came across this site from a friend and I just need to thank you for sharing your thoughts and pencils
. Thank You
With all due respect to albert, the quote is the translation of a famous persian poem by saadi
Hey Gav, have to ask, have you watched the Black Mirror mini series? So far, it’s the best interpretation of the social media I have seen
Daoism personified.
http://www.outsidecontext.com/2010/06/27/what-is-daoism/