--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, that? I never thought it was…" description: "\"“Oh, that? I never thought it was eavesdropping, Aslan. Wasn't it magic?\" \"Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.”\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_oh-that-i-never-thought-it-was-eavesdrop_1554464.png" --- # Oh, that? I never thought it was eavesdropping, Aslan… ![“Oh, that? I never thought it was eavesdropping, Aslan. Wasn't it magic?" "Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_oh-that-i-never-thought-it-was-eavesdrop_1554464.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_oh-that-i-never-thought-it-was-eavesdrop_1554464.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_oh-that-i-never-thought-it-was-eavesdrop_1554464.png) > ““Oh, that? I never thought it was eavesdropping, Aslan. Wasn't it magic?" "Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.”” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that using magic to spy is no different morally from any other method of surveillance. **In simple terms:** Spying by magic is ethically the same as spying by other means. Key Takeaway Recognize that means don’t change the moral impact. Themes ethics surveillance technology Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical literary When to use this quote - political intrigue - fantasy literature - ethical debates - modern surveillance - magical realism Key Concepts moral relativism privacy Questions to Reflect On - Is the method or the intent more important? - How do we judge surveillance in a magical world? A Different Perspective Even magical means can be used unethically, raising questions about intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eavesdropping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdropping/) [Eavesdropping Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdropping-aslan-5817562/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magic Spying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-spying-2137514/) [Spying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spying/) [Thought Eavesdropping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-eavesdropping-5817563/) ## Related quotes > [Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/spying-on-people-by-magic-is-the-same-as-spying-on-them-in-any-other/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Nobody in the government is talking. It’s a case of national security.” “Of course. The national security of spying on U.S. citizens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-eade/nobody-in-the-government-is-talking-it-s-a-case-of-national-security/) [Kenneth Eade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-eade/) > [“Were you eavesdropping?” “Hell, yeah. Spying too!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolyn-palliata/were-you-eavesdropping-hell-yeah-spying-too/) [Jolyn Palliata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolyn-palliata/) > [“Eavesdropping, Mother?' Ramses inquired. 'It is a shameful habit, but cursed useful,' I said, quoting something he had once said, and was rewarded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peters/eavesdropping-mother-ramses-inquired-it-is-a-shameful-habit-but/) [Elizabeth Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peters/) > [ “Roosevelt fought hard for the United States to host the opening session \[of the United Nations\]; it seemed a magnanimous gesture to most of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bamford/roosevelt-fought-hard-for-the-united-states-to-host-the-opening/) [James Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bamford/) > [“A place has a curious quality when you have only a partial understanding of its language, and in those early months the sensation was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kitamura/a-place-has-a-curious-quality-when-you-have-only-a-partial/) [Katie Kitamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kitamura/) > [“Why did people do it? Why this herd curiosity about a street, a house, windows, doors? He was a public servant, the Inspector mused,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-queen/why-did-people-do-it-why-this-herd-curiosity-about-a-street-a-house/) [Ellery Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-queen/) > [“I especially like eavesdropping on women my age. Besides being titillating, it also helps me gauge where I'm at in comparison.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-especially-like-eavesdropping-on-women-my-age-besides-being/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [As a child I loved to be in the kitchen with my mum and aunties, eavesdropping on the adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/as-a-child-i-loved-to-be-in-the-kitchen-with-my-mum-and-aunties/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [“Americans may say they love our accents (I have been accused of sounding 'like Princess Di') but the more thoughtful ones resent and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/americans-may-say-they-love-our-accents-i-have-been-accused-of/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [Writing fiction is a solitary occupation but not really a lonely one. The writer's head is mobbed with characters, images and language, making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilma-wolitzer/writing-fiction-is-a-solitary-occupation-but-not-really-a-lonely-one/) [Hilma Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilma-wolitzer/) > [Everyone in the world is impacted by the United States' Big Brother attitude toward the world. We need countries to say no to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/everyone-in-the-world-is-impacted-by-the-united-states-big-brother/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [We're no longer in the Cold War. Eavesdropping on friends is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-re-no-longer-in-the-cold-war-eavesdropping-on-friends-is/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [ \[Peter Pan\] has never broken his terrible habit of eavesdropping. So, maybe that wasn't the rustle of pages you heard while this story lasted,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-mccaughrean/peter-pan-has-never-broken-his-terrible-habit-of-eavesdropping-so/) [Geraldine McCaughrean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-mccaughrean/) > [“Wait, were you eavesdropping on my conversation with the duke? That's very rude." "Is it? Half of the plays in the world contain eavesdropping.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/wait-were-you-eavesdropping-on-my-conversation-with-the-duke-that-s/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Eavesdropping quotes > [“Wait, were you eavesdropping on my conversation with the duke? That's very rude." "Is it? Half of the plays in the world contain eavesdropping.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/wait-were-you-eavesdropping-on-my-conversation-with-the-duke-that-s/) [Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/) > [ \[Peter Pan\] has never broken his terrible habit of eavesdropping. So, maybe that wasn't the rustle of pages you heard while this story lasted,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-mccaughrean/peter-pan-has-never-broken-his-terrible-habit-of-eavesdropping-so/) [Geraldine McCaughrean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-mccaughrean/) > [We're no longer in the Cold War. Eavesdropping on friends is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-re-no-longer-in-the-cold-war-eavesdropping-on-friends-is/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Everyone in the world is impacted by the United States' Big Brother attitude toward the world. We need countries to say no to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/everyone-in-the-world-is-impacted-by-the-united-states-big-brother/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Writing fiction is a solitary occupation but not really a lonely one. The writer's head is mobbed with characters, images and language, making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilma-wolitzer/writing-fiction-is-a-solitary-occupation-but-not-really-a-lonely-one/) [Hilma Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilma-wolitzer/) > [Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/spying-on-people-by-magic-is-the-same-as-spying-on-them-in-any-other/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Americans may say they love our accents (I have been accused of sounding 'like Princess Di') but the more thoughtful ones resent and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/americans-may-say-they-love-our-accents-i-have-been-accused-of/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [As a child I loved to be in the kitchen with my mum and aunties, eavesdropping on the adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-galetti/as-a-child-i-loved-to-be-in-the-kitchen-with-my-mum-and-aunties/) [Monica Galetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-galetti/) > [“I especially like eavesdropping on women my age. Besides being titillating, it also helps me gauge where I'm at in comparison.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-especially-like-eavesdropping-on-women-my-age-besides-being/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“Why did people do it? Why this herd curiosity about a street, a house, windows, doors? He was a public servant, the Inspector mused,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-queen/why-did-people-do-it-why-this-herd-curiosity-about-a-street-a-house/) [Ellery Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-queen/) > [“A place has a curious quality when you have only a partial understanding of its language, and in those early months the sensation was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kitamura/a-place-has-a-curious-quality-when-you-have-only-a-partial/) [Katie Kitamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kitamura/) > [“He spoke to old friends in other departments, and listened to the "porcelain gossip" in the senior-officer toilets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-matthews/he-spoke-to-old-friends-in-other-departments-and-listened-to-the/) [Jason Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-matthews/) > [“The orchestral music is glorious but I wish they'd stop playing for a minute: it's very hard to eavesdrop properly over a grand piano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-smale/the-orchestral-music-is-glorious-but-i-wish-they-d-stop-playing-for-a/) [Holly Smale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-smale/) > [If you're like me and nosy, you're always eavesdropping on other people's conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/if-you-re-like-me-and-nosy-you-re-always-eavesdropping-on-other/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) > [Listeners ne'er hear good of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/listeners-ne-er-hear-good-of-themselves/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) [Browse all 80 Eavesdropping quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdropping/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh, that? 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