--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's something about the modern era…" description: "\"There's something about the modern era where it's very hard to transgress - we're all so online, easier to track by mobile phone - so you have people w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png" --- # There's something about the modern era where it's very… ![“There's something about the modern era where it's very hard to transgress - we're all so online, easier to track by mobile phone - so you have people who do it on your behalf.” quote by Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png) > “There's something about the modern era where it's very hard to transgress - we're all so online, easier to track by mobile phone - so you have people who do it on your behalf.” [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern connectivity makes personal transgression difficult, leading to proxy offenses. **In simple terms:** Online life limits direct wrongdoing. Key Takeaway Consider how anonymity affects behavior. Themes privacy technology ethics Mood cautious reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - social media use - online activism - digital privacy - law enforcement - personal accountability Key Concepts surveillance proxy behavior Questions to Reflect On - How does anonymity change moral choices? - Can proxy actions be truly ethical? A Different Perspective Even with monitoring, hidden motives persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mobile Phone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobile-phone/) [Modern era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-era/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [It's very hard to transgress; we have the furniture of transgression without the imagery and iconography to actually do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/it-s-very-hard-to-transgress-we-have-the-furniture-of-transgression/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I get an abundance of e-mail every day, some say 'dear Richard, can you call my husband, he weighs 400 pounds...' or 'my 14-year-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-get-an-abundance-of-e-mail-every-day-some-say-dear-richard-can-you/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [I'm trying to phase out my availability on the phone. People call you when you're walking down the street and say the most random…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-muhly/i-m-trying-to-phase-out-my-availability-on-the-phone-people-call-you/) [Nico Muhly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-muhly/) > [We are rather in the position that used to exist at the BBC, where you feel that you can pick up the phone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/we-are-rather-in-the-position-that-used-to-exist-at-the-bbc-where-you/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [Im too shy to express my sexual needs except over the phone to people I dont know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-shandling/im-too-shy-to-express-my-sexual-needs-except-over-the-phone-to-people/) [Garry Shandling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-shandling/) > [Most people never pick up the phone and call. Most people never ask, and that’s what separates the people who do things from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/most-people-never-pick-up-the-phone-and-call-most-people-never-ask/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [God Got A Phone , But Only Some People Call It](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deezy-da-dreadhead/god-got-a-phone-but-only-some-people-call-it/) [Deezy Da Dreadhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deezy-da-dreadhead/) > [I don't get on the phone and prank people and things like that on the phone with people, no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-don-t-get-on-the-phone-and-prank-people-and-things-like-that-on-the/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [I'm too shy to express my sexual needs except over the phone to people I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-shandling/i-m-too-shy-to-express-my-sexual-needs-except-over-the-phone-to/) [Garry Shandling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-shandling/) > [Thinking of that movie 'The Artist'; if anyone ever needed to reach anyone, I'm just thinking they didn't have cell phones, they didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edy-ganem/thinking-of-that-movie-the-artist-if-anyone-ever-needed-to-reach/) [Edy Ganem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edy-ganem/) > [We went to - I guess it was a legitimate boiler room, and I sat in front of this guy who literally was on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-ribisi/we-went-to-i-guess-it-was-a-legitimate-boiler-room-and-i-sat-in-front/) [Giovanni Ribisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-ribisi/) > [Don't use the phone. People are never ready to answer it. Use poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/don-t-use-the-phone-people-are-never-ready-to-answer-it-use-poetry/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Relativity was a highly technical new theory that gave new meanings to familiar concepts and even to the nature of the theory itself. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-c-cassidy/relativity-was-a-highly-technical-new-theory-that-gave-new-meanings/) David C. Cassidy > [If you think about the traditional mafia stories we grew up on, it is always about the death of criminal organisations - things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-think-about-the-traditional-mafia-stories-we-grew-up-on-it-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [“We heard about people who go back to their roots. That is good, but don't get stuck in the root. There is the branch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/we-heard-about-people-who-go-back-to-their-roots-that-is-good-but-don/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) ## More by Irvine Welsh > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“Without this kickstart to my day, I'd be lost. A day without a morning run is a day you fumble through, rather than one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/without-this-kickstart-to-my-day-i-d-be-lost-a-day-without-a-morning/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“There's nae reasoning wi some cats. You say 'reason', they mew 'treason'. Ken?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-nae-reasoning-wi-some-cats-you-say-reason-they-mew-treason-ken/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It's crazy for somebody who's kind of empowered and wealthy like myself to say, "Oh, I don't need to be patronized by the state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/it-s-crazy-for-somebody-who-s-kind-of-empowered-and-wealthy-like/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If it's something that I feel uncomfortable with, that's a reason for me to write it. I kind of like to make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-it-s-something-that-i-feel-uncomfortable-with-that-s-a-reason-for/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [There's nothing worse than a violent beating from an unremarkable person. Physical violence with someone is too much like shagging them. Too much id…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-violent-beating-from-an-unremarkable/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If I stop working and publishing, and TV, and film and all that, I would be dead within a couple of weeks. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-i-stop-working-and-publishing-and-tv-and-film-and-all-that-i-would/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I can see why the Russians love Robert Burns, I think that Russians and Koreans have a very similar outlook to Scots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-can-see-why-the-russians-love-robert-burns-i-think-that-russians/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If you continue to transfer the wealth of the population of the planet to a very small amount of people, it becomes untenable at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/if-you-continue-to-transfer-the-wealth-of-the-population-of-the/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Most middle-class people I know don't really live like me. Middle-class people worry a lot about money. They worry a lot about job security,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/most-middle-class-people-i-know-don-t-really-live-like-me-middle/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [As soon as you've written it, you're thinking about how it can move into different mediums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/as-soon-as-you-ve-written-it-you-re-thinking-about-how-it-can-move/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“Begbie doesnae even notice; he's in his element, particularly good at funerals in the way a lot ay psychopaths tend tae be. Ah suppose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/begbie-doesnae-even-notice-he-s-in-his-element-particularly-good-at/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I'm more of a warrior than you'll ever be. I believe in the class war. I believe in the battle of the sexes. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-m-more-of-a-warrior-than-you-ll-ever-be-i-believe-in-the-class-war/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) [Explore all 348 Irvine Welsh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) Out Spoken > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [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/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's something about the modern era where it's very hard to transgress - we're all so online, easier to track by mobile phone - so you have people who do it on your behalf.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Irvine Welsh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-where-it-s-very-hard-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-where-it-s-very-hard-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5a/irvine-welsh-843_hard_there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-w_3026483.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's something about the modern era where it's very hard to transgress - we're all so online, easier to…” — Irvine Welsh", "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": "Irvine Welsh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's something about the modern era...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-where-it-s-very-hard-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-something-about-the-modern-era-where-it-s-very-hard-to/#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 } } ] } ```