--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we simply follow the rules that a…" description: "\"If we simply follow the rules that a state imposes upon us when that state is acting contrary to the public interest, we're not actually improving anyt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/edward-snowden-555_acting_if-we-simply-follow-the-rules-that-a-sta_2097532.jpg" --- # If we simply follow the rules that a state imposes upon us… ![“If we simply follow the rules that a state imposes upon us when that state is acting contrary to the public interest, we're not actually improving anything. We're not changing anything.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/edward-snowden-555_acting_if-we-simply-follow-the-rules-that-a-sta_2097532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/edward-snowden-555_acting_if-we-simply-follow-the-rules-that-a-sta_2097532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b21/edward-snowden-555_acting_if-we-simply-follow-the-rules-that-a-sta_2097532.jpg) > “If we simply follow the rules that a state imposes upon us when that state is acting contrary to the public interest, we're not actually improving anything. We're not changing anything.” [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. Blindly obeying unjust laws fails to improve society; critical evaluation is needed. **In simple terms:** Following bad rules doesn't help. Key Takeaway Question authority, seek reform. Themes justice politics critical thinking Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - activism - policy advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts civil disobedience public interest ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - What laws harm the public interest? - How can citizens effectively challenge them? A Different Perspective Change requires collective action, not just personal dissent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Public interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-interest/) ## Related quotes > [In the process of helping some (perhaps most) people to more utility and justice, the state imposes on civil society a system of interdictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-jasay/in-the-process-of-helping-some-perhaps-most-people-to-more-utility/) [Anthony de Jasay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-jasay/) > [When the state imposes the death penalty, it proclaims that taking one human life counterbalances the taking of another life. This assumption is profoundly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/when-the-state-imposes-the-death-penalty-it-proclaims-that-taking-one/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [The state is therefore everyone; the rules within the state are laws which safeguard the welfare of all and which must originate from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-b-chner/the-state-is-therefore-everyone-the-rules-within-the-state-are-laws/) [Georg Buchner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-b-chner/) > [“The rules state quite clearly that you cannot enter the Best Groomed and Turned-out competition unless you have done all the work yourself!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-gregg/the-rules-state-quite-clearly-that-you-cannot-enter-the-best-groomed/) [Stacy Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-gregg/) > [“Rules state information that is conditionally true of the situation of interest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rules-state-information-that-is-conditionally-true-of-the-situation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm saying we need to be aware of it, and we need to be able to distinguish when political developments are occurring that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-m-saying-we-need-to-be-aware-of-it-and-we-need-to-be-able-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ The charges \[government\] brought against me, for example, explicitly denied my ability to make a public-interest defense. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-charges-government-brought-against-me-for-example-explicitly/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [When governments go too far to punish people for actions that are dissent rather than a real threat to the nation, they risk delegitimizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-governments-go-too-far-to-punish-people-for-actions-that-are/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I carefully evaluated every single document I disclosed to ensure that each was legitimately in the public interest. There are all sorts of documents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-carefully-evaluated-every-single-document-i-disclosed-to-ensure/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Allowing the U.S. government to intimidate its people with threats of retaliation for revealing wrongdoing is contrary to the public interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/allowing-the-u-s-government-to-intimidate-its-people-with-threats-of/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [My whole model, from the beginning, was not to personally publish a single document. I provided these documents to journalists because I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/my-whole-model-from-the-beginning-was-not-to-personally-publish-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I always follow the rules. No fake co-productions. I know how to make content agreeable and acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-zheng-wu/i-always-follow-the-rules-no-fake-co-productions-i-know-how-to-make/) [Bruno Zheng Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-zheng-wu/) > [“In a world of those who follow the rules without deviation those who innovate even in the shadows, will rule. Never be a carbon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/in-a-world-of-those-who-follow-the-rules-without-deviation-those-who/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“Don't talk to strangers. Don't do drugs. Don't smoke. Don't drink and drive. Don't have sex. Wear a condom. Wear sunblock. Wear a seat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/don-t-talk-to-strangers-don-t-do-drugs-don-t-smoke-don-t-drink-and/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [I don't follow the rules!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rippon/i-don-t-follow-the-rules/) [Adam Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rippon/) ## 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." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. 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 Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we simply follow the rules that a state imposes upon us when that state is acting contrary to the public interest, we're not actually improving anything. 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