--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can anything match that first fine…" description: "\"Can anything match that first fine discovery of the telephone and all it stood for? That first realization that, contained within ten simple digits, la..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png" --- # Can anything match that first fine discovery of the… ![“Can anything match that first fine discovery of the telephone and all it stood for? That first realization that, contained within ten simple digits, lay the infinitely possible? Out there ... lay six billion ears, all the people in the world available for contact and mystery and insult, unable to…” quote by Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png) > “Can anything match that first fine discovery of the telephone and all it stood for? That first realization that, contained within ten simple digits, lay the infinitely possible? Out there ... lay six billion ears, all the people in the world available for contact and mystery and insult, unable to resist the beckoning of one small and villainous forefinger.” [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote marvels at the revolutionary impact of the telephone, highlighting its ability to connect billions instantly and the power that such connectivity grants individuals. **In simple terms:** The telephone opened massive global communication and power. Key Takeaway Recognize how technology reshapes society and personal influence. Themes communication technology power society Mood awe reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - marketing - political campaigning - emergency response - personal networking Key Concepts network theory mass media social impact Questions to Reflect On - How does instant connectivity affect personal responsibility? - What ethical dilemmas arise from pervasive communication? A Different Perspective It may overstate the agency of a single device without considering broader social structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Digits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digits/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Knowledge of that which concerns us infinitely is possible only in an attitude of infinite concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/knowledge-of-that-which-concerns-us-infinitely-is-possible-only-in-an/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [“To live beyond the threshold of identity, to do so in the name of a peace that has not yet occurred but that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-willow-wilson/to-live-beyond-the-threshold-of-identity-to-do-so-in-the-name-of-a/) [G. Willow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-willow-wilson/) > [“Life was less of a mystery for every digit that age handed over to him. Time, however, became more cryptic and dealt in destructive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayendra-abeywardane/life-was-less-of-a-mystery-for-every-digit-that-age-handed-over-to/) [Gayendra Abeywardane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayendra-abeywardane/) > [Anyone who considers arithmetical methods of producing random digits is, of course, in a state of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/anyone-who-considers-arithmetical-methods-of-producing-random-digits/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [Once I'd reached the point where I could squirrel away more than 30 digits a minute in memory palaces, I still only sporadically used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/once-i-d-reached-the-point-where-i-could-squirrel-away-more-than-30/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [“One two, one two, Type a word or two. Arrow left, arrow right, Keep those fingers nice and tight. Keys up, Keys down, Move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-feylynn/one-two-one-two-type-a-word-or-two-arrow-left-arrow-right-keep-those/) [Jazz Feylynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-feylynn/) > [Hey I just met you, and this is crazy but here's my digits so fuck me crazy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-sakundiak/hey-i-just-met-you-and-this-is-crazy-but-here-s-my-digits-so-fuck-me/) [Mitchell Sakundiak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-sakundiak/) > [Give me your digits jot down your address. I'll bet you confess when you put me to the test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaggy/give-me-your-digits-jot-down-your-address-i-ll-bet-you-confess-when/) [Shaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaggy/) > [The largest known prime number is 2^32582657-1. I am proud to say that I memorized all its digits-in binary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-pomerance/the-largest-known-prime-number-is-2-32582657-1-i-am-proud-to-say-that/) Carl Pomerance > [Any one who considers arithmetical methods of producing random digits is, of course, in a state of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/any-one-who-considers-arithmetical-methods-of-producing-random-digits/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [“In our current number system, if you multiply 111,111,111 by itself, you get the rather pleasing 12,345,678,987,654,321 (all the digits count up from 1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-parker/in-our-current-number-system-if-you-multiply-111-111-111-by-itself/) [Matt Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-parker/) > [“Luck is not some esoteric, godlike phenomenon. Luck is countable but undefinable. Luck easily can be explained by a number of factors acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/csaba-gabor/luck-is-not-some-esoteric-godlike-phenomenon-luck-is-countable-but/) [Csaba Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/csaba-gabor/) > [They call me Mr. Roberts when I'm in the bank. Digits like the Dodgers when it come to franks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/they-call-me-mr-roberts-when-i-m-in-the-bank-digits-like-the-dodgers/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [Do u know d logic of 143(love)(one four three)? Ur birth year's last 2 digits+ur current age+33=143 for every one. Try this very intresting..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/do-u-know-d-logic-of-143-love-one-four-three-ur-birth-year-s-last-2/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [“I'll never be the size that has single digits and my thighs will always touch when I walk but I'm ok with that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-jamison/i-ll-never-be-the-size-that-has-single-digits-and-my-thighs-will/) Sugar Jamison ## More by Alan Coren > [There are many mysteries in old age but the greatest, surely, is this: in those adverts for walk-in bathtubs, why doesn't all the water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/there-are-many-mysteries-in-old-age-but-the-greatest-surely-is-this/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what it is you want to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/democracy-consists-of-choosing-your-dictators-after-they-ve-told-you/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Jacob is a German Shepherd. (I have never understood why they aren't called German Sheepdogs. What do the Germans call shepherds?)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/jacob-is-a-german-shepherd-i-have-never-understood-why-they-aren-t/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Strictly speaking, the land does not exist; it is merely dehydrated sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/strictly-speaking-the-land-does-not-exist-it-is-merely-dehydrated-sea/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [The role of humour is to make people fall down and writhe on the Axminster, and that is the top and bottom of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/the-role-of-humour-is-to-make-people-fall-down-and-writhe-on-the/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [To have a grievance is to have a purpose in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/to-have-a-grievance-is-to-have-a-purpose-in-life/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [English Bohemianism is a curiously unluscious fruit. ... Inside this hothouse, huge lascivious orchids slide sensuously up the sweating windows, passion-flowers cross-pollinate in wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/english-bohemianism-is-a-curiously-unluscious-fruit-inside-this/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [All I know of birds to this date is that sparrows are the ones that are not pigeons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/all-i-know-of-birds-to-this-date-is-that-sparrows-are-the-ones-that/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [I sometimes wonder if the manufacturers of foolproof items keep a fool or two on their payroll to test things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/i-sometimes-wonder-if-the-manufacturers-of-foolproof-items-keep-a/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/democracy-consists-of-choosing-your-dictators-after-they-ve-told-you-2/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [In the days when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/in-the-days-when-the-keepers-of-the-house-shall-tremble-and-the/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [I wonder sometimes if manufacturers of foolproof items keep a fool or two on their payroll to test things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/i-wonder-sometimes-if-manufacturers-of-foolproof-items-keep-a-fool-or/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Television is more interesting than people. If it were not we should have people standing in the corner of our room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/television-is-more-interesting-than-people-if-it-were-not-we-should/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Having lost the last war, they are currently enjoying a Wirtschaftswunder , which can be briefly translated as "The best way to own a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/having-lost-the-last-war-they-are-currently-enjoying-a/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) > [Ethnically, the Germans are Teutonic...being made up of Vandals, Gepidae, and Goths, all of whom emigrated - south from Sweden in about 500 BC;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/ethnically-the-germans-are-teutonic-being-made-up-of-vandals-gepidae/) [Alan Coren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) [Explore all 27 Alan Coren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/) ## More Available quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [Tell the truth about your wound, and then you will get a truthful picture of the remedy to apply to it. Don't pack whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/tell-the-truth-about-your-wound-and-then-you-will-get-a-truthful/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I used practically all the money I had available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-used-practically-all-the-money-i-had-available/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [But we need to be very clear: because of our decades of collective denial, no gradual, incremental options are now available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/but-we-need-to-be-very-clear-because-of-our-decades-of-collective/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [I m Single , Eligible But Not Available .. Limited Edition :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faisal-khan-neal/i-m-single-eligible-but-not-available-limited-edition-d/) Faisal Khan Neal > [I do worry because it takes all types to make our culture, to make our art. We need it to be available to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-mcintosh/i-do-worry-because-it-takes-all-types-to-make-our-culture-to-make-our/) [Neve McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-mcintosh/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The internal peace of every country depends upon the knowledge that force is available to uphold law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/the-internal-peace-of-every-country-depends-upon-the-knowledge-that/) [Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-grey-1st-viscount-grey-of-fallodon/) > [It is truly amazing that, with much less neuroscientific knowledge available, Hayek's model comes closer, in some respects, to being neurophysiologically verifiable than those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-fuster/it-is-truly-amazing-that-with-much-less-neuroscientific-knowledge/) Joaquin Fuster > [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [I'm in production year round. I work long hours. I have a dog and a wife. There's not a lot of available time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-in-production-year-round-i-work-long-hours-i-have-a-dog-and-a/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) Browse all 2,134 Available quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can anything match that first fine discovery of the telephone and all it stood for? That first realization that, contained within ten simple digits, lay the infinitely possible? Out there ... lay six billion ears, all the people in the world available for contact and mystery and insult, unable to resist the beckoning of one small and villainous forefinger.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Coren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/can-anything-match-that-first-fine-discovery-of-the-telephone-and-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Available" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/can-anything-match-that-first-fine-discovery-of-the-telephone-and-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f09/alan-coren-22813_available_can-anything-match-that-first-fine-disco_1879709.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Can anything match that first fine discovery of the telephone and all it stood for? That first realization…” — Alan Coren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Coren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-coren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Can anything match that first fine...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/can-anything-match-that-first-fine-discovery-of-the-telephone-and-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-coren/can-anything-match-that-first-fine-discovery-of-the-telephone-and-all/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```