I ran across this fact today from a book called Numbers.

Average time spent in front of a portrait in an art gallery:

1987 – 10 seconds

1997 – 3 seconds

I don’t want to jump to conclusions too quickly, but this really makes me think about the impact that our media and in particular TV has on our ability to focus. No wonder when we sit down to read or pray we are as a whole not able. What strikes me as poignant with this average is that it is an average. Most people did not spend 3 seconds in front of the portrait!

I am not sure how to process this except to check my own self for tell-tale signs.