--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In government, you are pressed by the…" description: "\"In government, you are pressed by the security agencies. They come to you with very good information, and they say, 'You need to do something.' So you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/david-blunkett-4087_agencies_in-government-you-are-pressed-by-the-sec_1662329.png" --- # In government, you are pressed by the security agencies… ![“In government, you are pressed by the security agencies. They come to you with very good information, and they say, 'You need to do something.' So you do need the breath of scepticism, not cynicism, breathing on them.” quote by David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/david-blunkett-4087_agencies_in-government-you-are-pressed-by-the-sec_1662329.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/david-blunkett-4087_agencies_in-government-you-are-pressed-by-the-sec_1662329.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/david-blunkett-4087_agencies_in-government-you-are-pressed-by-the-sec_1662329.png) > “In government, you are pressed by the security agencies. They come to you with very good information, and they say, 'You need to do something.' So you do need the breath of scepticism, not cynicism, breathing on them.” [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Skepticism protects against uncritical acceptance of authority, while cynicism erodes constructive dialogue. **In simple terms:** Question authority, not dismiss it. Key Takeaway Apply healthy doubt. Themes critical thinking government trust Mood cautious analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - media consumption - public debate - security decisions Key Concepts political science ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is doubt helpful? - How to balance skepticism and trust? A Different Perspective Excessive skepticism can stall necessary action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Scepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scepticism/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) ## Related quotes > [The Security Agencies are reading everyone's email?? LOL I don't even read my own email](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-security-agencies-are-reading-everyone-s-email-lol-i-don-t-even/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Every Russian emperor from Peter the Great to Stalin and Putin knows a leader and his security agencies must never be parted. His safety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sebag-montefiore/every-russian-emperor-from-peter-the-great-to-stalin-and-putin-knows/) [Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sebag-montefiore/) > [We need more personnel within our security agencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/we-need-more-personnel-within-our-security-agencies/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) > [Our military and national security agencies will require flexibility to take steps, short of war, to counter the Iranian threat in the Middle East…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lamb/our-military-and-national-security-agencies-will-require-flexibility/) [Conor Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lamb/) > [“What she wanted was right there, between them, pressed against her stomach—so big and accessible and user-friendly—neatly covered and ready to go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/what-she-wanted-was-right-there-between-them-pressed-against-her/) [Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/) > [If you cant accept me for who I am. Oh well. Never pressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-cant-accept-me-for-who-i-am-oh-well-never-pressed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was on tour with Little Dragon with the Gorillaz. She's got an amazing voice and is a lovely girl. Her vibe is fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neneh-cherry/i-was-on-tour-with-little-dragon-with-the-gorillaz-she-s-got-an/) [Neneh Cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neneh-cherry/) > [Rolling my trousers down to expose the upper part of my buttocks and having a knife pressed up and down my spine by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/rolling-my-trousers-down-to-expose-the-upper-part-of-my-buttocks-and/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [“pressed her lips to his again, but then he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-manta/pressed-her-lips-to-his-again-but-then-he/) [Lena Manta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-manta/) > [Traditional publishers require an author to submit a manuscript six months in advance, and if pressed, no later than two or three.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brooke/traditional-publishers-require-an-author-to-submit-a-manuscript-six/) [Heather Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brooke/) > [There is an extraordinary degree of amity among Washington poets. They hang together. You would be hard pressed to find that in Manhattan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-kumin/there-is-an-extraordinary-degree-of-amity-among-washington-poets-they/) [Maxine Kumin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-kumin/) > [I can press when there needs to be pressed; I can hold hands when there needs to be -- hold hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-can-press-when-there-needs-to-be-pressed-i-can-hold-hands-when/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Asked at the hearing why she hadn't pressed the FBI more closely about what it knew, or didn't know, about domestic terrorist threats, Rice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-fineman/asked-at-the-hearing-why-she-hadn-t-pressed-the-fbi-more-closely/) [Howard Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-fineman/) > [“2 Nicole gnawed on her lip as she pressed her back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-witemeyer/2-nicole-gnawed-on-her-lip-as-she-pressed-her-back/) [Karen Witemeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-witemeyer/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) ## More by David Blunkett > [Strengthening our identity is one way of reinforcing people's confidence and sense of citizenship and well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/strengthening-our-identity-is-one-way-of-reinforcing-people-s/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Politics is about the participation and engagement of the wider citizenry - to miss that point would doom us to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/politics-is-about-the-participation-and-engagement-of-the-wider/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [I don't think anyone can say I have said one thing in public and done another in private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-don-t-think-anyone-can-say-i-have-said-one-thing-in-public-and-done/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [As a former home secretary, I have access to and knowledge of the workings of the system in a way that individuals unfamiliar with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/as-a-former-home-secretary-i-have-access-to-and-knowledge-of-the/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [The Home Office culture was one of being just above the problem, of hovering just out of reach of knowing what was going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/the-home-office-culture-was-one-of-being-just-above-the-problem-of/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [And we think that our citizens and yours would be very angry if they thought that we hadnt taken every possible step for prevention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/and-we-think-that-our-citizens-and-yours-would-be-very-angry-if-they/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [I was affected by the harshness of government, the reality of 16-hour days, and the pressures of modern communications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-was-affected-by-the-harshness-of-government-the-reality-of-16-hour/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Yes, it will go through the disciplines that all puppies go through including house training and puppy walking, then at twelve month old it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/yes-it-will-go-through-the-disciplines-that-all-puppies-go-through/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [At school, I was brought up on revolting food - sausages, sausages and Spam - but at home, I had the most wonderful sponge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/at-school-i-was-brought-up-on-revolting-food-sausages-sausages-and/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Let's not allow the voice of the people to be overwhelmed by the siren song of those who opposed regulation, who demanded that government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/let-s-not-allow-the-voice-of-the-people-to-be-overwhelmed-by-the/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [The clash between capital and labour, between those seeking to maximise profit and those with only their toil to sell, was the driving force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/the-clash-between-capital-and-labour-between-those-seeking-to/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Without the political parties and the volunteering work of their members day in, day out, we would have a very different sort of politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/without-the-political-parties-and-the-volunteering-work-of-their/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [If I pleaded guilty to a mistake while I was home secretary, it wasn't that I didn't get tough - my God, I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/if-i-pleaded-guilty-to-a-mistake-while-i-was-home-secretary-it-wasn-t/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [I have always been honest about my recollection of events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-have-always-been-honest-about-my-recollection-of-events/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [We have put over £2bn in the last three years into counter-terrorism and we are developing the electronic border surveillance and identity cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/we-have-put-over-2bn-in-the-last-three-years-into-counter-terrorism/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) [Explore all 116 David Blunkett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) ## More Agencies quotes > [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [Our covering ministry is Challenge for Christ ministries, and Travel the Road was solely our mission arm, designed to expose people to what missions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/our-covering-ministry-is-challenge-for-christ-ministries-and-travel/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [When I first went to visit different agencies in New York, a lot of them were like, 'You have to lose a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-hadid/when-i-first-went-to-visit-different-agencies-in-new-york-a-lot-of/) [Gigi Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gigi-hadid/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [The intelligence investigation under the leadership of Senator Church, which I know has helped cause this investigation by you, points out that the agencies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sherman-cooper/the-intelligence-investigation-under-the-leadership-of-senator-church/) [John Sherman Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sherman-cooper/) > [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Visit USA.gov and you'll find thousands of directorates, agencies, boards, offices, and services replete with overlapping responsibilities, ancient priorities, and divided accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/visit-usa-gov-and-you-ll-find-thousands-of-directorates-agencies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/when-comics-came-along-in-the-1930s-there-was-a-talent-pool-waiting/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [With respect to sticking accelerator pedals, we failed to connect the dots between problems in Europe and problems in the United States because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-toyoda/with-respect-to-sticking-accelerator-pedals-we-failed-to-connect-the/) [Akio Toyoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-toyoda/) > [Debt, we've learned, is the match that lights the fire of every crisis. Every crisis has its own set of villains - pick your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/debt-we-ve-learned-is-the-match-that-lights-the-fire-of-every-crisis/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [Part of my job is to advocate on my constituents' behalf to federal agencies who aren't always responsive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-horsford/part-of-my-job-is-to-advocate-on-my-constituents-behalf-to-federal/) [Steven Horsford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-horsford/) > [The Federal Reserve, the Treasury, all the regulator agencies - if there's a problem of the financial mechanism in society, the only one to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-federal-reserve-the-treasury-all-the-regulator-agencies-if-there/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [The best agencies understood the importance of routines. The worst agencies were headed by people who never thought about it, and then wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/the-best-agencies-understood-the-importance-of-routines-the-worst/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Well, you could take several stories off the buildings of most U.S. government agencies and we'd all probably be better for it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/well-you-could-take-several-stories-off-the-buildings-of-most-u-s/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) Browse all 97 Agencies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In government, you are pressed by the security agencies. They come to you with very good information, and they say, 'You need to do something.' 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