---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Modern people are calibrated for a whole…"
description: "\"“Modern people are calibrated for a whole different level of danger acceptance.”\" — Neal Stephenson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png"
---

#  Modern people are calibrated for a whole different level…

![“Modern people are calibrated for a whole different level of danger acceptance.” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png)

> ““Modern people are calibrated for a whole different level of danger acceptance.””

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Modern humans have become accustomed to high‑risk environments, altering their perception of danger.

**In simple terms:** People accept more danger today.

Key Takeaway

Recognize altered risk perception.

Themes

technology risk societal change

Mood

cautious thoughtful

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

- urban commuting
- online privacy
- financial investing
- extreme sports

Key Concepts

cognitive adaptation danger tolerance modernity

Questions to Reflect On

- What dangers have you normalized?
- How does technology reshape our sense of safety?

A Different Perspective

Risk acceptance may lead to complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Calibrated Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calibrated-different-4760439/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Danger Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger-acceptance-4760437/) [Different level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-level/) [Modern People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-people-1158601/) [People Calibrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-calibrated-4760438/)

## Related quotes

> [“It was possible to look at actual smartphones and tablets and laptops that had been manufactured on Old Earth. They did not work anymore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-was-possible-to-look-at-actual-smartphones-and-tablets-and-laptops/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [Perhaps some day, modern people will learn that mystery is not the prison of the mind of people, it is their home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-farrell/perhaps-some-day-modern-people-will-learn-that-mystery-is-not-the/)

[Walter Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-farrell/)

> [“We are told that modern couples aren’t as flexible as the Melanesians and many of the societies surveyed earlier. Now that readers have more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-saxon/we-are-told-that-modern-couples-aren-t-as-flexible-as-the-melanesians/)

[Lynn Saxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-saxon/)

> [Many modern people have gone so far in their dependence on others for their feeling of reality that they are afraid that without it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/many-modern-people-have-gone-so-far-in-their-dependence-on-others-for/)

[Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/)

> [It's modern day. It is modern day. Some of the cars are older but it is absolutely modern day. There are modern cars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-farmer/it-s-modern-day-it-is-modern-day-some-of-the-cars-are-older-but-it-is/)

[Todd Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-farmer/)

> [“There's a hardness I'm seeing in modern people. Those little moments of goofiness that used to make the day pass seem to have gone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/there-s-a-hardness-i-m-seeing-in-modern-people-those-little-moments/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“Modern people are just like ancient ones, only more numerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/modern-people-are-just-like-ancient-ones-only-more-numerous/)

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/)

> [It is especially difficult for modern people to conceive that our modern, scientific age might not be an improvement over the prescientific period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/it-is-especially-difficult-for-modern-people-to-conceive-that-our/)

[Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/)

> [We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-modern-people-think-of-miracles-as-the-suspension-of-the-natural-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Modern people are only willing to believe in their computers, while I believe in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-robert/modern-people-are-only-willing-to-believe-in-their-computers-while-i/)

[Alain Robert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-robert/)

> [“modern people think that any one who makes himself slightly uncomfortable in public will immediately be uproariously popular.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/modern-people-think-that-any-one-who-makes-himself-slightly/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [modern people have seen too many chemicals and are ready to go back to eating dirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/modern-people-have-seen-too-many-chemicals-and-are-ready-to-go-back/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [“This is the only period in all human history when people were proud of being modern. For though to-day is always to-day and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/this-is-the-only-period-in-all-human-history-when-people-were-proud/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [Perhaps these ancient observatories like Stonehenge perennially impress modern people because modern people have no idea how the Sun, Moon, or stars move. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/perhaps-these-ancient-observatories-like-stonehenge-perennially/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [There are a lot of historical novelists who do the research about the clothes and maybe even the eating utensils, but they're basically taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/there-are-a-lot-of-historical-novelists-who-do-the-research-about-the/)

[Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/)

## More by Neal Stephenson

> [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

> [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/)

[Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

[Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/)

## More Danger quotes

> [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

> [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/)

[Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/)

> [“Anything you fear is a shackle to ur soul. It is a phobia that tethers and blinds ur ability to see and comprehend your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/anything-you-fear-is-a-shackle-to-ur-soul-it-is-a-phobia-that-tethers/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/)

[Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/)

> [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/)

[David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/)

> [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

> [The term 'Pre-Raphaelite' is in danger of becoming one of the most misused tags in art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wood/the-term-pre-raphaelite-is-in-danger-of-becoming-one-of-the-most/)

[Christopher Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wood/)

> [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

> [“I’ll always come back to you,” he said. “Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/i-ll-always-come-back-to-you-he-said-always/)

[Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/)

> [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/)

[Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/)

> [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/)

[Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/)

> [A sea setting us upon the ice has brought us close to danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hudson/a-sea-setting-us-upon-the-ice-has-brought-us-close-to-danger/)

[Henry Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hudson/)

> [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/)

[Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/)

[Browse all 5,463 Danger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Modern people are calibrated for a whole different level of danger acceptance.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neal Stephenson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole-different-level-of-danger/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Danger"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole-different-level-of-danger/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/neal-stephenson-362_danger_modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole_578601.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Modern people are calibrated for a whole different level of danger acceptance.” — Neal Stephenson",
                "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": "Neal Stephenson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Modern people are calibrated for a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole-different-level-of-danger/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/modern-people-are-calibrated-for-a-whole-different-level-of-danger/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
