Axes Quote by Edward Snowden
![“It's interesting that you mention [Andrei] Sakharov's creative axis - he had produced something for the government that he then realized was something other than he intended. That's something [NSA whistleblower] Bill Binney and I share.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/86d/edward-snowden-555_axes_it-s-interesting-that-you-mention-andrei_2123410.jpg)
“It's interesting that you mention [Andrei] Sakharov's creative axis - he had produced something for the government that he then realized was something other than he intended. That's something [NSA whistleblower] Bill Binney and I share.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Snowden Files, 2019
The speaker compares unintended consequences of government work to whistleblowing, highlighting ethical dilemmas when outcomes diverge from intent.
In simple terms: Government work can unintentionally harm.
Key Takeaway
Question the ethics of your creations.
Themes
ethics
whistleblowing
unintended consequences
government
technology
Mood
critical
analytical
concerned
Type
interview
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy development
- tech design
- public oversight
Key Concepts
moral responsibility
transparency
accountability
Questions to Reflect On
- When did you realize your work was misused?
- What responsibility do creators have for misuse?
A Different Perspective
Unintended harm can be hard to reverse.
![“Chelsea Manning, who's now set to be free May 17th [2017], after Obama shortened her sentence from 35 years to seven. According to her attorneys, she is already the longest-held whistleblower in U.S. history.” quote by Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/30d/amy-goodman-19343_attorney_chelsea-manning-who-s-now-set-to-be-free_2480507.jpg)
![“[Brazil] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data sovereignty."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/edward-snowden-555_brazil_brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-n_14906.jpg)
![“There was a real choice when [Barack Obama] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold senior officials to account with the same laws that every other citizen in the country is held to," or "This is a nation that believes in the rule of law."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/104/edward-snowden-555_accounts_there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obam_27838.jpg)
