"That is, we are bombarded by all kinds of images and influences and we have to fend some of them off if we're to take in any of them, or to carry through just our ordinary day's work, or really deepen whatever we have to do or say"

This quote by Robert Jay Lifton speaks to the concept that we are continuously being bombarded by images and affects from the world around us. We should have the ability to filter out some of these influences in order to concentrate on our own work and goals. This is specifically real if we want to surpass the surface area level and truly explore something meaningful. It is necessary to be able to recognize what is very important and what is not in order to maximize our time and energy. We should have the ability to determine what deserves our attention and what is not in order to take advantage of our lives. This quote talks to the concept that we must be able to filter out the sound in order to concentrate on what is really important.