"Civilization is a conspiracy. Modern life is the silent compact of comfortable folk to keep up pretences"

This quote by John Buchan recommends that civilization is a kind of conspiracy, where people in modern-day life agree to preserve a certain level of comfort by pretending to be something they are not. This might be interpreted in a couple of ways. To start with, it might be viewed as a criticism of the method which individuals in modern society are frequently anticipated to comply with specific requirements of behaviour and appearance in order to fit in. It might likewise be seen as a comment on the method which individuals frequently place on an exterior in order to appear more successful or appealing than they in fact are. Finally, it might be seen as a caution against the dangers of permitting oneself to be taken in by the incorrect promises of contemporary life. In any case, this quote works as a suggestion that it is necessary to be knowledgeable about the potential pitfalls of contemporary life and to be careful of the false guarantees it can use.