--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is important to understand that in the…" description: "\"“It is important to understand that in the modern world we prefer the replica to the original because it gives us the greater frisson. I leave that wor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/922/julian-barnes-522_copy_it-is-important-to-understand-that-in-th_2804478.jpg" --- # It is important to understand that in the modern world we… ![“It is important to understand that in the modern world we prefer the replica to the original because it gives us the greater frisson. I leave that word in French because I think you understand it well that way.” quote by Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/922/julian-barnes-522_copy_it-is-important-to-understand-that-in-th_2804478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/922/julian-barnes-522_copy_it-is-important-to-understand-that-in-th_2804478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/922/julian-barnes-522_copy_it-is-important-to-understand-that-in-th_2804478.jpg) > ““It is important to understand that in the modern world we prefer the replica to the original because it gives us the greater frisson. I leave that word in French because I think you understand it well that way.”” [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern society favors copies because they provide a thrilling, heightened sensation, often more appealing than originals. **In simple terms:** People chase the excitement of reproductions over authenticity. Key Takeaway Seek depth beyond surface thrills. Themes authenticity replication frisson modernity culture Mood analytical curious critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - art appreciation - technology adoption - fashion trends - media consumption Key Concepts aesthetics consumerism philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Why do we value sensation over substance? - Can replicas ever replace originals? A Different Perspective Original works can offer deeper meaning despite less immediate excitement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Modern world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-world/) ## Related quotes > [REPLICA, n. A reproduction of a work of art, by the artist that made the original. It is so called to distinguish it from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/replica-n-a-reproduction-of-a-work-of-art-by-the-artist-that-made-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Saul Bellow says, funny enough, what French think of your work is tremendously important. And it is. It's more than what the Italians, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/saul-bellow-says-funny-enough-what-french-think-of-your-work-is/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I really have no idea what the French think of my characters, or why The Devil All the Time did so well there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-really-have-no-idea-what-the-french-think-of-my-characters-or-why/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [What must the English and French think of the language of our philosophers when we Germans do not understand it ourselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/what-must-the-english-and-french-think-of-the-language-of-our/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I really want to learn French so I think it would be great to go and live in France and maybe learn the language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-virtue/i-really-want-to-learn-french-so-i-think-it-would-be-great-to-go-and/) [Tessa Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-virtue/) > [Speak in French when you can't think of the English for a thing. Turn out your toes as you walk. And remember who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/speak-in-french-when-you-can-t-think-of-the-english-for-a-thing-turn-2/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I don't speak a word of French but often think that what should be a handicap is actually a godsend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-connery/i-don-t-speak-a-word-of-french-but-often-think-that-what-should-be-a/) [Sean Connery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-connery/) > [“This is what you British do not understand about the French. You think you must work, work, work, work and open on Sundays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-colgan/this-is-what-you-british-do-not-understand-about-the-french-you-think/) [Jenny Colgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-colgan/) > [I love the French very much, and I think they know that. I've been adopted here. They treat me as one of their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-birkin/i-love-the-french-very-much-and-i-think-they-know-that-i-ve-been/) [Jane Birkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-birkin/) > [Let me say one thing to clarify my position. I think we can take distance from norm but I think we are also mired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/let-me-say-one-thing-to-clarify-my-position-i-think-we-can-take/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) > [“We English have no very strong attachment to the soil, we can make ourselves at home in any part of the world, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/we-english-have-no-very-strong-attachment-to-the-soil-we-can-make/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The French, I think, in general, are strangely prolix in their natural history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-white/the-french-i-think-in-general-are-strangely-prolix-in-their-natural/) [Gilbert White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-white/) > [Speak in French when you can’t think of the English for a thing-- turn your toes out when you walk--- And remember who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/speak-in-french-when-you-can-t-think-of-the-english-for-a-thing-turn/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I don’t like water. I drink Diet Coke. Nor do I smoke, or drink alcohol or even sip a café. I don’t look after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-alt/i-don-t-like-water-i-drink-diet-coke-nor-do-i-smoke-or-drink-alcohol/) [Emmanuelle Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-alt/) > [I think the French agonise more about being French, I don't think English think about being English that much. I think the Scottish think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-meades/i-think-the-french-agonise-more-about-being-french-i-don-t-think/) [Jonathan Meades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-meades/) ## More by Julian Barnes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-greatest-patriotism-is-to-tell-your-country-when-it-is-behaving/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“There is only good vodka and very good vodka—there is no such thing as bad vodka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/there-is-only-good-vodka-and-very-good-vodka-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [How rarely do our emotions meet the object they seem to deserve? How hopelessly we signal; how dark the sky; how big the waves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/how-rarely-do-our-emotions-meet-the-object-they-seem-to-deserve-how/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You put together two people who have not been put together before. Sometimes it is like that first attempt to harness a hydrogen balloon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-people-who-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. You imagine yourself being lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/also-when-you-are-young-you-think-you-can-predict-the-likely-pains/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Why slum it where people were burdened by yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that? By history? Here, on the Island,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/why-slum-it-where-people-were-burdened-by-yesterday-and-the-day/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“My train was late, slowed by the usual Sunday engineering work. I got home in the early evening. I remember that I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/my-train-was-late-slowed-by-the-usual-sunday-engineering-work-i-got/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [In life, every ending is just the start of another story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-life-every-ending-is-just-the-start-of-another-story/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Indeed, isn’t the whole business of ascribing responsibility kind of a cop-out? We want to blame an individual so that everyone else is exculpated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/indeed-isn-t-the-whole-business-of-ascribing-responsibility-kind-of-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/some-of-the-freckles-i-once-loved-are-now-closer-to-liver-spots-but/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-what-percentage-of-people-take-up-the-option-to-die-off-she/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Explore all 454 Julian Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## More Copy quotes > [Would ya like a copy of my butt? -Butt-Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beavis-and-butthead/would-ya-like-a-copy-of-my-butt-butt-head/) [Beavis And Butthead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beavis-and-butthead/) > [“All religions worthy of the name are now making great efforts to purify their doctrines and return to their original standpoint, — all except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/all-religions-worthy-of-the-name-are-now-making-great-efforts-to/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [I've reread 'The Secret Garden' every year as an adult. I have a battered copy on my bookshelf - it's really quite a mess!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-potter/i-ve-reread-the-secret-garden-every-year-as-an-adult-i-have-a/) [Ellen Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-potter/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [“Everytime you make a copy of the copy, you lose clarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-nelson/everytime-you-make-a-copy-of-the-copy-you-lose-clarity/) [Alan E. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-e-nelson/) > [William Regal is an obvious influence, as is Fit Finlay - you can see that in my style of wrestling - but I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-dunne/william-regal-is-an-obvious-influence-as-is-fit-finlay-you-can-see/) [Pete Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-dunne/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Obviously, Fred Astaire was a legend. I've tried to copy some of his movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/obviously-fred-astaire-was-a-legend-i-ve-tried-to-copy-some-of-his/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Why would anybody hire a someone who is copying someone else when he can get the original one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/why-would-anybody-hire-a-someone-who-is-copying-someone-else-when-he/) KK > [I used to copy looks from fashion ads in my mother's 'Cosmopolitan' magazines and steal her eye shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/i-used-to-copy-looks-from-fashion-ads-in-my-mother-s-cosmopolitan/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [I like to read non-fiction on my e-reader, but as for fiction, I usually like to have a copy to keep at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-like-to-read-non-fiction-on-my-e-reader-but-as-for-fiction-i/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [I've always avoided publicity. I've never been good copy at any stage of my life. I don't strive for it, because I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/i-ve-always-avoided-publicity-i-ve-never-been-good-copy-at-any-stage/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [You can copy, but hold the applause you get the satisfaction of mind can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-copy-but-hold-the-applause-you-get-the-satisfaction-of-mind/) Mak\_786 > [Long time ago, people would make the Bible, right? The guy said it, somebody wrote it down. And then if you wanted another copy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/long-time-ago-people-would-make-the-bible-right-the-guy-said-it/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) Browse all 594 Copy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is important to understand that in the modern world we prefer the replica to the original because it gives us the greater frisson. 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