--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would say the first key concept is…" description: "\"I would say the first key concept is that, in terms of technological and communication progress in human history, the Internet is basically the equival..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ce/edward-snowden-555_capability_i-would-say-the-first-key-concept-is-tha_2261846.jpg" --- # I would say the first key concept is that, in terms of… ![“I would say the first key concept is that, in terms of technological and communication progress in human history, the Internet is basically the equivalent of electronic telepathy. We can now communicate all the time through our little magic smartphones with people who are anywhere, all the time…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ce/edward-snowden-555_capability_i-would-say-the-first-key-concept-is-tha_2261846.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ce/edward-snowden-555_capability_i-would-say-the-first-key-concept-is-tha_2261846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ce/edward-snowden-555_capability_i-would-say-the-first-key-concept-is-tha_2261846.jpg) > “I would say the first key concept is that, in terms of technological and communication progress in human history, the Internet is basically the equivalent of electronic telepathy. We can now communicate all the time through our little magic smartphones with people who are anywhere, all the time, constantly learning what they're thinking, talking about, exchanging messages. And this is a new capability even within the context of the Internet.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Internet acts like telepathy, enabling constant, instant connection and insight into others' thoughts via smartphones. **In simple terms:** Phones let us share thoughts instantly. Key Takeaway Use tech wisely, protect privacy. Themes technology communication privacy surveillance Mood cautious thoughtful Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - business meetings - family chats - activism - online education Key Concepts digital connectivity information flow social media data ethics Questions to Reflect On - What privacy risks arise from constant connectivity? - How can we balance openness and secrecy? A Different Perspective It overstates intimacy, ignoring data misuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Constantly learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constantly-learning/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Human history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-history/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Smartphones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smartphones/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Telepathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telepathy/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Computer chips will cost about a penny. That's the cost of scrap paper. The Internet will be basically for free and it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/computer-chips-will-cost-about-a-penny-that-s-the-cost-of-scrap-paper/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [I'm comfortable wherever I am, and I can be anywhere and feel comfortable after three weeks. I adapt, and I'm like a chameleon. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/i-m-comfortable-wherever-i-am-and-i-can-be-anywhere-and-feel/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [What, exactly, is the internet? 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To understand what's out there. To really be in tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/i-try-to-update-my-arsenal-constantly-learning-different-martial-arts/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'm still constantly learning and that's what keeps me excited about the guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hoey/i-m-still-constantly-learning-and-that-s-what-keeps-me-excited-about/) [Gary Hoey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hoey/) > [I'll continue making films because I love being able to drop into other people's worlds. My goal is to be constantly learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jehane-noujaim/i-ll-continue-making-films-because-i-love-being-able-to-drop-into/) [Jehane Noujaim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jehane-noujaim/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." 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But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Capability quotes > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We artists give daily thanks for the miracle of our planet and for the inclination and the capability to honour it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/we-artists-give-daily-thanks-for-the-miracle-of-our-planet-and-for/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [Few men realize that their life, the very essence of their character, their capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/few-men-realize-that-their-life-the-very-essence-of-their-character/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [One of the capabilities, which seems to be the most difficult for aspiring leaders to maste is realistic optimism. It requires one to recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-menkes/one-of-the-capabilities-which-seems-to-be-the-most-difficult-for/) [Justin Menkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-menkes/) > [You have the capability to change your life all with a simple shift in perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-have-the-capability-to-change-your-life-all-with-a-simple-shift/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [If you are facing a new challenge or being asked to do something that you have never done before don’t be afraid to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/if-you-are-facing-a-new-challenge-or-being-asked-to-do-something-that/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Clearly, if wed had the kind of computer graphics capability then that we have now, the Star Gate sequence would be much more complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-trumbull/clearly-if-wed-had-the-kind-of-computer-graphics-capability-then-that/) [Douglas Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-trumbull/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I'm just confident in myself and my capability to be able to play this position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-bridgewater/i-m-just-confident-in-myself-and-my-capability-to-be-able-to-play/) [Teddy Bridgewater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-bridgewater/) > [Primarily affecting low-information voters and members of the mainstream media, Obama Worship Syndrome attributes impossible capabilities to Obama's political opponents, finds excuses for every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/primarily-affecting-low-information-voters-and-members-of-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [The Iranians know that if they develop nuclear weapons, they will be in tremendous jeopardy from military capabilities of their neighbors and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-nunn/the-iranians-know-that-if-they-develop-nuclear-weapons-they-will-be/) [Sam Nunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-nunn/) > [I have proved my capability to everyone - my fans and critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-warsi/i-have-proved-my-capability-to-everyone-my-fans-and-critics/) [Arshad Warsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-warsi/) > [I will then ask for a plan to immediately protect those vulnerabilities and then fix them.At the same time, we will invest heavily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-then-ask-for-a-plan-to-immediately-protect-those/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psychological and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) Browse all 801 Capability quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would say the first key concept is that, in terms of technological and communication progress in human history, the Internet is basically the equivalent of electronic telepathy. We can now communicate all the time through our little magic smartphones with people who are anywhere, all the time, constantly learning what they're thinking, talking about, exchanging messages. 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