--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Spying on people by magic is the same as…" description: "\"Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_spying-on-people-by-magic-is-the-same-as_205855.png" --- # Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in… ![“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/920/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_spying-on-people-by-magic-is-the-same-as_205855.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_spying-on-people-by-magic-is-the-same-as_205855.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/c-s-lewis-2-132_eavesdropping_spying-on-people-by-magic-is-the-same-as_205855.png) > “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. Using magic to spy is no different than any other spying method; the means don’t change the moral issue. **In simple terms:** Spying is unethical, regardless of method. Key Takeaway Recognize and reject all forms of intrusion. Themes ethics privacy technology Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - digital privacy - government monitoring - personal boundaries - magical realism Key Concepts surveillance moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What ethical lines are crossed by surveillance? - How can societies protect privacy? A Different Perspective Technological advances can make spying harder to detect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eavesdropping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdropping/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magic Spying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-spying-2137514/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-magic-1585116/) [Spying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spying/) [Spying People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spying-people-479984/) [Spying Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spying-way-2137515/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/oh-that-i-never-thought-it-was-eavesdropping-aslan-wasn-t-it-magic/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [We're not interested in applications where you're spying on people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rana-el-kaliouby/we-re-not-interested-in-applications-where-you-re-spying-on-people/) [Rana el Kaliouby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rana-el-kaliouby/) > [“Yes I did, so what? They asked for it, nasty little things spying on people”, the dark shadow answered, crossing his arms in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hamonou/yes-i-did-so-what-they-asked-for-it-nasty-little-things-spying-on/) [Linda Hamonou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hamonou/) > [“There is no one for spying on people's actions like those who are not concerned in them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-no-one-for-spying-on-people-s-actions-like-those-who-are-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“The government spying on people doesn’t literally make programmers write worse code. It just leads eventually to a world in which bad ideas will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/the-government-spying-on-people-doesn-t-literally-make-programmers/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [ “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/) > [“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/) > [“Were you eavesdropping?” “Hell, yeah. 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I exposed them to something they're never otherwise going to see in their boring, normal lives. And I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-exposed-people-to-magic-i-exposed-them-to-something-they-re-never/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Dying is for fools. I'm proud of what I created. I exposed people to magic. I exposed people to things they would never see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/dying-is-for-fools-i-m-proud-of-what-i-created-i-exposed-people-to/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [A lot of people lose a sense of reality when they achieve success. That's a terrible danger because you have to remember who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/a-lot-of-people-lose-a-sense-of-reality-when-they-achieve-success/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [I'm a promoter of the people for the people and by the people and my magic lies in my people ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/i-m-a-promoter-of-the-people-for-the-people-and-by-the-people-and-my/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) ## 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/) > [“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/) > [“Restaurants always seemed to be full of bored couples who enjoyed eavesdropping.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-alaux/restaurants-always-seemed-to-be-full-of-bored-couples-who-enjoyed/) [Jean-Pierre Alaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-alaux/) [Browse all 80 Eavesdropping quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eavesdropping/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Spying on people by magic is the same as spying on them in any other way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. 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