In what economists call the "200-message-a-day economy," the needs of those we love must constantly compete for our attention from within a sea of stimulation. We may call ourselves consumers, but we in fact are consumed by the information we ourselves generate. . . . Research indicates that multitasking is another name for attention-deficit disorder and lack of productivity and effectiveness. . . . Once we "pay" a little of our attention, it is gone forever.
— Paul Pearsall, Toxic Success