--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people don't know what goes on in…" description: "\"Most people don't know what goes on in the intelligence services. Certainly I had very little idea what went on in GCHQ. For me it was a job, a chance ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/katharine-gun-13326_chance_most-people-don-t-know-what-goes-on-in-t_1819036.jpg" --- # Most people don't know what goes on in the intelligence… ![“Most people don't know what goes on in the intelligence services. Certainly I had very little idea what went on in GCHQ. For me it was a job, a chance to use my languages.” quote by Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/katharine-gun-13326_chance_most-people-don-t-know-what-goes-on-in-t_1819036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/katharine-gun-13326_chance_most-people-don-t-know-what-goes-on-in-t_1819036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/katharine-gun-13326_chance_most-people-don-t-know-what-goes-on-in-t_1819036.jpg) > “Most people don't know what goes on in the intelligence services. Certainly I had very little idea what went on in GCHQ. For me it was a job, a chance to use my languages.” [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She reveals limited public awareness of intelligence work and personal motivation for language use. **In simple terms:** People rarely understand secret services; she saw it as a language job. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden complexities behind public institutions. Themes secrecy language career ethics Mood reflective serious Type analytical informative When to use this quote - government analysis - language translation - ethical decision making Key Concepts intelligence work personal motivation Questions to Reflect On - How does secrecy affect democratic oversight? - What drives individuals to work in secret agencies? A Different Perspective Limited insight may lead to misinformed opinions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence services](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-services/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [To use two languages familiarly and without contaminating one by the other, is very difficult; and to use more than two is hardly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-use-two-languages-familiarly-and-without-contaminating-one-by-the/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/science-and-technology-multiply-around-us-to-an-increasing-extent/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [“Because we were not in our country, we could not use our own languages, and so when we spoke our voices came out bruised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noviolet-bulawayo/because-we-were-not-in-our-country-we-could-not-use-our-own-languages/) [NoViolet Bulawayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noviolet-bulawayo/) > [I think that, in the end, the military behavior and intelligence services are not very different from each other. It's an attitude of hunters;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-ramirez/i-think-that-in-the-end-the-military-behavior-and-intelligence/) [Edgar Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-ramirez/) > [U.S. intelligence services routinely use collection methods against foreigners that foreseeably - with certainty - ingest high volumes of U.S. communications as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/u-s-intelligence-services-routinely-use-collection-methods-against/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [ It \[the intelligence service\] concludes that Iraq has chemical and biological weapons, that Saddam has continued to produce them, that he has existing and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/it-the-intelligence-service-concludes-that-iraq-has-chemical-and/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [An intelligence service is the ideal vehicle for a conspiracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-dulles/an-intelligence-service-is-the-ideal-vehicle-for-a-conspiracy/) [Allen Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-dulles/) > [Intelligence services all over the world, in order to retain their competitive edge, have to adapt or they won't survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/intelligence-services-all-over-the-world-in-order-to-retain-their/) [Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/) > [The intelligence services would probably be in a better position to make an assessment of the advancement of the Iranian nuclear program than Podhoretz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trita-parsi/the-intelligence-services-would-probably-be-in-a-better-position-to/) [Trita Parsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trita-parsi/) > [I don't concede that Guccifer is a Russian agent. Officials also said, that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Just because the intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-stone/i-don-t-concede-that-guccifer-is-a-russian-agent-officials-also-said/) [Roger Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-stone/) > [Where are we going to reject that easy but flawed process of letting the intelligence services do whatever they want? It's inevitable that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/where-are-we-going-to-reject-that-easy-but-flawed-process-of-letting/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ Did you follow what \[General Yehoshafat\] Harkabi wrote? Formerly of the Israeli military intelligence service. Remember him? Did you follow what he wrote? He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/did-you-follow-what-general-yehoshafat-harkabi-wrote-formerly-of-the/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [I can tell you, all the intelligence services in the world were running my name through their databases to see did anyone by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-can-tell-you-all-the-intelligence-services-in-the-world-were/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Intelligence services exist to do things that are illegal abroad. They exist to tell lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/intelligence-services-exist-to-do-things-that-are-illegal-abroad-they/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [You will recall that for months after 9/11, there was incredible support and sympathy for the US. I really hoped and wished they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/you-will-recall-that-for-months-after-9-11-there-was-incredible/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) ## More by Katharine Gun > [Why did the British authorities wait eight months before charging me - and then drop the charges, claiming there was insufficient evidence for prosecution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/why-did-the-british-authorities-wait-eight-months-before-charging-me/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I've never met Snowden, I've never spoken with him personally. I mean, he's extremely smart. Very, very smart. I guess he was a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-ve-never-met-snowden-i-ve-never-spoken-with-him-personally-i-mean/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [It is vital to speak up in a democracy. Otherwise we are living in dictatorships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/it-is-vital-to-speak-up-in-a-democracy-otherwise-we-are-living-in/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I'm a fairly happy-go-lucky person, generally fairly optimistic, but there were points when I was down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-m-a-fairly-happy-go-lucky-person-generally-fairly-optimistic-but/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [If my own country is subverting the rule of law and sending its own citizens, its military, into harm's way on the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/if-my-own-country-is-subverting-the-rule-of-law-and-sending-its-own/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [After the invasion of Afghanistan, when the focus suddenly turned toward Iraq, I suddenly thought, 'What on earth had Iraq got to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/after-the-invasion-of-afghanistan-when-the-focus-suddenly-turned/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I know my own flaws only too well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-know-my-own-flaws-only-too-well/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I know people have tried to make citizens' arrests on Tony Blair and so on, but really it's time the international criminal court has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-know-people-have-tried-to-make-citizens-arrests-on-tony-blair-and/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [You just have to get on with life, there's no alternative. You could curl up in a ball on your bed, but that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/you-just-have-to-get-on-with-life-there-s-no-alternative-you-could/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I'm not a politician; I don't have a well-organised PR machine to craft my every word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-m-not-a-politician-i-don-t-have-a-well-organised-pr-machine-to/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I work for the British people. I do not gather intelligence so the government can lie to the British people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-work-for-the-british-people-i-do-not-gather-intelligence-so-the/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I felt guilty - like, I leaked this memo, and now there's going to be a witch hunt for the person who did it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-felt-guilty-like-i-leaked-this-memo-and-now-there-s-going-to-be-a/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I did everything I could to remain anonymous for as long as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-did-everything-i-could-to-remain-anonymous-for-as-long-as-possible/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [Cheering crowds have never been my sort of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/cheering-crowds-have-never-been-my-sort-of-thing/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) > [I grew up in Taiwan, which was a military dictatorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-gun/i-grew-up-in-taiwan-which-was-a-military-dictatorship/) [Katharine Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) [Explore all 51 Katharine Gun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-gun/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people don't know what goes on in the intelligence services. Certainly I had very little idea what went on in GCHQ. 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