--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What the government wants is something…" description: "\"What the government wants is something they never had before. They want total awareness. The question is, is that something we should be allowing?\" — E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/edward-snowden-555_allowing_what-the-government-wants-is-something-t_391341.jpg" --- # What the government wants is something they never had… ![“What the government wants is something they never had before. They want total awareness. The question is, is that something we should be allowing?” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/edward-snowden-555_allowing_what-the-government-wants-is-something-t_391341.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/edward-snowden-555_allowing_what-the-government-wants-is-something-t_391341.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/edward-snowden-555_allowing_what-the-government-wants-is-something-t_391341.jpg) > “What the government wants is something they never had before. They want total awareness. The question is, is that something we should be allowing?” [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. Government seeks unprecedented surveillance, raising concerns about privacy and civil liberties. **In simple terms:** Total surveillance threatens freedom. Key Takeaway Advocate for privacy protections. Themes privacy surveillance civil liberties Mood cautious concerned Type ethical political When to use this quote - online behavior - legislation - public policy - corporate data use - activism Key Concepts government overreach digital rights Questions to Reflect On - Should societies accept reduced privacy for security? - What safeguards can limit governmental overreach? A Different Perspective Balancing security and privacy is complex and contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Awareness Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness-question-3530545/) [Before](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-wants-580281/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Total](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/total/) [Total Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/total-awareness-3361255/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants/) ## Related quotes > [Total paranoia is just total awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-manson/total-paranoia-is-just-total-awareness/) [Charles Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-manson/) > [“Don't think you can attain total awareness and whole enlightenment without proper discipline and practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-browne-walker/don-t-think-you-can-attain-total-awareness-and-whole-enlightenment/) [Brian Browne Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-browne-walker/) > [Your karma is the sum total of your awareness field. Your awareness field is comprised of all the experiences that you've had in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/your-karma-is-the-sum-total-of-your-awareness-field-your-awareness/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The Patriot Act is ludicrous. Terrorists have proved that they are interested in total genocide, not subtle little hacks of the U.S. infrastructure, yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-patriot-act-is-ludicrous-terrorists-have-proved-that-they-are/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [“The government wants to be aware of all your movements—probably including your bowel movements. Ain’t that some shit?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-government-wants-to-be-aware-of-all-your-movements-probably/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The government can't create jobs; they'll destroy jobs trying to do it. The government doesn't have any money; all they have is a printing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/the-government-can-t-create-jobs-they-ll-destroy-jobs-trying-to-do-it/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [I want to make clear, in the most emphatic way, that the government of Mexico and the Mexican people do not have to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-videgaray-caso/i-want-to-make-clear-in-the-most-emphatic-way-that-the-government-of/) [Luis Videgaray Caso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-videgaray-caso/) > [The government wants to control the banks, just as it now controls GM and Chrysler, and will surely control the health industry in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-varney/the-government-wants-to-control-the-banks-just-as-it-now-controls-gm/) [Stuart Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-varney/) > [Every citizen has to figure out what kind of government he or she wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/every-citizen-has-to-figure-out-what-kind-of-government-he-or-she/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The nannyism is partly to distract from the corruption — and partly just another opportunity to leverage it. A good general rule is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-nannyism-is-partly-to-distract-from-the-corruption-and-partly/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) > [The director of the FBI has been visiting Silicon Valley companies asking them to build back doors so that it can spy on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/the-director-of-the-fbi-has-been-visiting-silicon-valley-companies/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [The government wants to be able to attack extremism and hatred wherever it occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/the-government-wants-to-be-able-to-attack-extremism-and-hatred/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [The central government wants to increase the number of nuclear power plants but we believe nuclear plants have their inherent problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-won-soon/the-central-government-wants-to-increase-the-number-of-nuclear-power/) [Park Won-soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-won-soon/) > [Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets have a great deal of information about all of us - and the government wants to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/twitter-facebook-and-other-social-media-outlets-have-a-great-deal-of/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [All the Cuban government wants to do - and all it's demonstrated to the world - is that they want a repressive, authoritarian control;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/all-the-cuban-government-wants-to-do-and-all-it-s-demonstrated-to-the/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) ## 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 Allowing quotes > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the-present-generation-the/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Once again I was shamelessly allowing myself to be defined by another person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-babcock-kinflicks/once-again-i-was-shamelessly-allowing-myself-to-be-defined-by-another/) [Ginny Babcock Kinflicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginny-babcock-kinflicks/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [By allowing multiple partners to contribute, an open platform can nurture an entire ecosystem of developers and apps. Good products integrate and become great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/by-allowing-multiple-partners-to-contribute-an-open-platform-can/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [When you ask for patience, what you get is a line at the bank. In other words, life gives you the people, places, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-mcmillan/when-you-ask-for-patience-what-you-get-is-a-line-at-the-bank-in-other/) [Tracy McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-mcmillan/) > [Sometimes, I get afraid it has defined me, that sense of grief, loss and illness. But actually, it is about allowing myself to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-get-afraid-it-has-defined-me-that-sense-of-grief-loss-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Meditation is actually a very simple exercise in resting in the natural state of your present mind, and allowing yourself to be simply and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/meditation-is-actually-a-very-simple-exercise-in-resting-in-the/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) > [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I just think fashion is about enjoying yourself and being comfortable in your skin and allowing you to be you - all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/i-just-think-fashion-is-about-enjoying-yourself-and-being-comfortable/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-harm-at-all-in-allowing-a-kid-to-fantasize/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [All I wanted to do was put together one of the best home maths systems in the world, and that's what we've done. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-vorderman/all-i-wanted-to-do-was-put-together-one-of-the-best-home-maths/) [Carol Vorderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-vorderman/) > [I want to deal with the homeless situation here in Washington, D.C. I think it is a travesty that we've got men - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-deal-with-the-homeless-situation-here-in-washington-d-c-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 916 Allowing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What the government wants is something they never had before. They want total awareness. 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