--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In old days men had the rack.Now they…" description: "\"In old days men had the rack.Now they have the Press.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg" --- # In old days men had the rack.Now they have the Press. ![“In old days men had the rack.Now they have the Press.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg) > “In old days men had the rack.Now they have the Press.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal pressures have shifted from physical punishment to media scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Old punishments replaced by press. Key Takeaway Beware modern scrutiny. Themes society media power Mood cynical observational Type satire commentary When to use this quote - political campaigns - social media - celebrity culture Key Concepts public opinion surveillance Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel judged today? - How does media shape behavior? A Different Perspective May ignore personal agency under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great saying by great authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-saying-by-great-authors/) [Men Rack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-rack-596886/) [Old days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-days/) [Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/press/) [Rack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rack/) [Rack Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rack-press-596885/) ## Related quotes > [In the old days men had the rack. Now they have the Press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-the-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-have-the-press/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The Ideal Man should talk to us as if we were goddesses, and treat us as if we were children. He should refuse all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-ideal-man-should-talk-to-us-as-if-we-were-goddesses-and-treat-us/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The mere existence of conscience, that faculty of which people prate so much nowadays, and are so ignorantly proud, is a sign of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-mere-existence-of-conscience-that-faculty-of-which-people-prate/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [He must have a truly romantic nature, for he weepswhen there is nothing at all toweep about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-must-have-a-truly-romantic-nature-for-he-weepswhen-there-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Banks will fee you to death. If you bounce a check, the bank has a policy to re-post the check three more times to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raymond/banks-will-fee-you-to-death-if-you-bounce-a-check-the-bank-has-a/) [Jonathan Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raymond/) > [Life is too short for a half-rack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/life-is-too-short-for-a-half-rack/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [My goal has never been to see how many stats I can rack up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-bardsley/my-goal-has-never-been-to-see-how-many-stats-i-can-rack-up/) [Karen Bardsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-bardsley/) > [You want to look fashionable and put-together, not like you hit every sale rack this season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/you-want-to-look-fashionable-and-put-together-not-like-you-hit-every/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [I really like the idea of being utilitarian. My dream is to edit down my wardrobe and be very Japanese, where you have one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-wasson/i-really-like-the-idea-of-being-utilitarian-my-dream-is-to-edit-down/) [Erin Wasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-wasson/) > [For 'Death Magnetic,' I used what I always use, which is my standard touring rack, which is filled with some Boogie stuff and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/for-death-magnetic-i-used-what-i-always-use-which-is-my-standard/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [“hung on the rack, besides numerous other small portable articles of vertu that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/hung-on-the-rack-besides-numerous-other-small-portable-articles-of/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [It's one thing to see the clothes on a rack, but it's interesting to see how they get brought to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/it-s-one-thing-to-see-the-clothes-on-a-rack-but-it-s-interesting-to/) [Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/) > [I keep recording and recording, but they always stay on the rack and never get out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiny-tim/i-keep-recording-and-recording-but-they-always-stay-on-the-rack-and/) [Tiny Tim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiny-tim/) > [I can't buy stuff off the rack. I have big shoulders and I sort of taper in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carpenter/i-can-t-buy-stuff-off-the-rack-i-have-big-shoulders-and-i-sort-of/) [Richard Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carpenter/) > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Great saying by great authors quotes > [Rosalind. Well, this is the forest of Arden. Touchstone. Ay, now am I in Arden, the more fool I. 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Like aqua vitae with a midwife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/maria-nay-but-say-true-doesit-work-upon-him-sir-toby-belch-like-aqua/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The great must submit to the dominion of prudence and of virtue, or none will long submit to the dominion of thegreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-must-submit-to-the-dominion-of-prudence-and-of-virtue-or/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [She who does not know she isa patient lies Within a tent of green, and sleeps without a sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kirkup/she-who-does-not-know-she-isa-patient-lies-within-a-tent-of-green-and/) [James Kirkup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kirkup/) > [In retirement, I look for days off from my days off. 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They havebut passed, Beyond the mists that blind us here, Into the new and larger life, Of that serener sphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-luckey-mccreery/they-are-not-dead-they-havebut-passed-beyond-the-mists-that-blind-us/) [John Luckey McCreery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-luckey-mccreery/) > [From disaster good fortune comes, and in good fortune lurks disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/from-disaster-good-fortune-comes-and-in-good-fortune-lurks-disaster/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was a chilly winter's night; And frost was glitt'ring on theground, And evening stars were twinkling bright;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barnes/it-was-a-chilly-winter-s-night-and-frost-was-glitt-ring-on-theground/) [William Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barnes/) > [If Thought is capable of beingclassed with Electricity, or Will with chemical affinity, asa mode of motion, it seems necessary to fall at once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-brooks-adams/if-thought-is-capable-of-beingclassed-with-electricity-or-will-with/) [Henry Brooks Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-brooks-adams/) > [Come dame or maid, be not afraid, Poor Tom will injure nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/come-dame-or-maid-be-not-afraid-poor-tom-will-injure-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Various content To your eyes, ears, and tongue, and every part. If then your body go, what need you a heart?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/various-content-to-your-eyes-ears-and-tongue-and-every-part-if-then/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) [Browse all 605 Great saying by great authors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-saying-by-great-authors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In old days men had the rack.Now they have the Press.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-have-the-press/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great saying by great authors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-have-the-press/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/oscar-wilde-16_great-saying-by-grea_in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-ha_2454295.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In old days men had the rack.Now they have the Press.” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In old days men had the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-have-the-press/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-old-days-men-had-the-rack-now-they-have-the-press/#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 } } ] } ```