--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Technology means you can now do amazing…" description: "\"Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but you couldn't easily do them legally.\" — Lawrence Lessig" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png" --- # Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but… ![“Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but you couldn't easily do them legally.” quote by Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png) > “Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but you couldn't easily do them legally.” [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the gap between technological capability and legal frameworks, urging updated regulations **In simple terms:** Tech advances faster than laws, causing legal challenges Key Takeaway Advocate for modernizing legal systems Themes law technology policy ethics Mood concerned forward‑looking urgent Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - policy making - legal reform - tech development - business compliance - public advocacy Key Concepts regulation digital rights innovation intellectual property Questions to Reflect On - What legal reforms are needed for emerging tech? - How can society balance innovation with regulation? A Different Perspective Legal change can be slow and politically contentious ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing-things/) [Couldn Easily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-easily-807460/) [Easily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easily/) [Easily Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easily-couldn-807461/) [Easily Legally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easily-legally-807462/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Technology Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology-means-266055/) ## Related quotes > [All of the technology is a means to an end. We are the end. And we just have to pay attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jac-holzman/all-of-the-technology-is-a-means-to-an-end-we-are-the-end-and-we-just/) [Jac Holzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jac-holzman/) > [Technology is the only means through which you touch on new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-chalayan/technology-is-the-only-means-through-which-you-touch-on-new-things/) [Hussein Chalayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-chalayan/) > [The essence of technology is by no means anything technological.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heidegger/the-essence-of-technology-is-by-no-means-anything-technological/) [Martin Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heidegger/) > [To me, technology was a means to an end to achieve the social justice goals, stronger democracy and more effective government that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-simone-noveck/to-me-technology-was-a-means-to-an-end-to-achieve-the-social-justice/) [Beth Simone Noveck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-simone-noveck/) > [Technology means the kind of music you can make on your own if you've got an imagination is amazing. It's crazy that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ashcroft/technology-means-the-kind-of-music-you-can-make-on-your-own-if-you-ve/) [Richard Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ashcroft/) > [Technology is the means by which we have decommissioned natural selection and are seizing control. We are no longer to be victims of some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/technology-is-the-means-by-which-we-have-decommissioned-natural/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [The danger with Bill C-11 is that it gives the government the ability to use technology as a means of social control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslyn-lewis/the-danger-with-bill-c-11-is-that-it-gives-the-government-the-ability/) [Leslyn Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslyn-lewis/) > [“Technopoly is a state of culture. It is also a state of mind. It consists in the deification of technology, which means that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/technopoly-is-a-state-of-culture-it-is-also-a-state-of-mind-it/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) ## More by Lawrence Lessig > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [As I've indicated, most books go out of print within one year. The same is true of music and film. Commercial culture is sharklike.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/as-i-ve-indicated-most-books-go-out-of-print-within-one-year-the-same/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [I think the reality is that copyright law has for a very long time been a tiny little part of American jurisprudence, far removed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-think-the-reality-is-that-copyright-law-has-for-a-very-long-time/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Code plus law is combining to reduce rights consumers used to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/code-plus-law-is-combining-to-reduce-rights-consumers-used-to-have/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Overregulation corrupts citizens and weakens the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/overregulation-corrupts-citizens-and-weakens-the-rule-of-law/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Power runs with ideas that only the crazy would draw into doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/power-runs-with-ideas-that-only-the-crazy-would-draw-into-doubt/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Remember the refrain: We always build on the past; the past always tries to stop us. Freedom is about stopping the past, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/remember-the-refrain-we-always-build-on-the-past-the-past-always/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Politics is that rare sport where the amateur contest is actually more interesting than the professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/politics-is-that-rare-sport-where-the-amateur-contest-is-actually/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [But, like all metaphoric wars, the copyright wars are not actual conflicts of survival. Or at least, they are not conflicts for survival of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/but-like-all-metaphoric-wars-the-copyright-wars-are-not-actual/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [If the only way a library can offer an Internet exhibit about the New Deal is to hire a lawyer to clear the rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/if-the-only-way-a-library-can-offer-an-internet-exhibit-about-the-new/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Some blame the drug companies. I don't. They are corporations. Their managers are ordered by law to make money for the corporation. They push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/some-blame-the-drug-companies-i-don-t-they-are-corporations-their/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [By the time Apple's Macintosh operating system finally falls into the public domain, there will be no machine that could possibly run it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/by-the-time-apple-s-macintosh-operating-system-finally-falls-into-the/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [As more and more citizens express what they think, and defend it in writing, that will change the way people understand public issues. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/as-more-and-more-citizens-express-what-they-think-and-defend-it-in/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [I think if the copyright regime focuses on the people we are supposed to be helping, the artists and creators, and builds a system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-think-if-the-copyright-regime-focuses-on-the-people-we-are-supposed/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [There is still the illusion that if we could declare corporations are not people or that money is not speech, all would be solved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/there-is-still-the-illusion-that-if-we-could-declare-corporations-are/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) [Explore all 137 Lawrence Lessig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) ## More Amazing things quotes > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [So crazy to think that we have only known each other 2 years. its been so amazing and we have got to do so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-direction/so-crazy-to-think-that-we-have-only-known-each-other-2-years-its-been/) [One Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-direction/) > [When you're true to who you are, amazing things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/when-you-re-true-to-who-you-are-amazing-things-happen/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [I always see people tweeting about these crazy amazing things their boyfriend or girlfriend did for them. You shouldn't have to constantly be trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-prokop/i-always-see-people-tweeting-about-these-crazy-amazing-things-their/) [Matt Prokop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-prokop/) > [We can sit and worry about what's going to happen to us two weeks from now. I'd rather focus on the amazing things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/we-can-sit-and-worry-about-what-s-going-to-happen-to-us-two-weeks/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think Li Na and some other Chinese ladies have done so many amazing things for Asian tennis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-nishikori/i-think-li-na-and-some-other-chinese-ladies-have-done-so-many-amazing/) [Kei Nishikori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-nishikori/) > [I've had to make time to really explore all the amazing things that are out and try to understand the history of how fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-jackson/i-ve-had-to-make-time-to-really-explore-all-the-amazing-things-that/) [Christopher Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-jackson/) > [We thought we completely understood bubbles when we were kids. But we didn't. Bubbles are these amazing things. It's just that people aren't paying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noddy/we-thought-we-completely-understood-bubbles-when-we-were-kids-but-we/) [Tom Noddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noddy/) > [Captaining your country, going out at Wembley, captaining Arsenal to 10 trophies, playing your first game - they're all amazing things. But, phew, saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/captaining-your-country-going-out-at-wembley-captaining-arsenal-to-10/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [There are always groups on campus that are doing amazing things. I know when I was in college, I was a student at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/there-are-always-groups-on-campus-that-are-doing-amazing-things-i/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) [Browse all 498 Amazing things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but you couldn't easily do them legally.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Lessig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing-things-easily-but-you-couldn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amazing things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing-things-easily-but-you-couldn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54a/lawrence-lessig-3201_amazing-things_technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing_856605.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Technology means you can now do amazing things easily; but you couldn't easily do them legally.” — Lawrence Lessig", "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": "Lawrence Lessig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Technology means you can now do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing-things-easily-but-you-couldn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/technology-means-you-can-now-do-amazing-things-easily-but-you-couldn/#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 } } ] } ```