--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since real spies are so good, you never…" description: "\"Since real spies are so good, you never really know what actual spying is. But I do think spying is a lot more dangerous than we are led to believe.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/richard-armitage-2741_actual_since-real-spies-are-so-good-you-never-r_1648803.png" --- # Since real spies are so good, you never really know what… ![“Since real spies are so good, you never really know what actual spying is. But I do think spying is a lot more dangerous than we are led to believe.” quote by Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/richard-armitage-2741_actual_since-real-spies-are-so-good-you-never-r_1648803.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/richard-armitage-2741_actual_since-real-spies-are-so-good-you-never-r_1648803.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/richard-armitage-2741_actual_since-real-spies-are-so-good-you-never-r_1648803.png) > “Since real spies are so good, you never really know what actual spying is. But I do think spying is a lot more dangerous than we are led to believe.” [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spies are highly skilled, making true espionage hard to detect, and its dangers are often underestimated. **In simple terms:** Spying is covert and more dangerous than people think. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant about security threats. Themes security espionage trust information risk Mood cautious reflective Type security ethical When to use this quote - corporate security - government intelligence - personal privacy protection Key Concepts covert operations intelligence gathering national security Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations balance security with openness? - What measures detect espionage without infringing rights? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on espionage can cause paranoia and mistrust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Spies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spies/) [Spy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spy/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I'm sure, in real life, spying is boring - there's probably a lot of sitting around and plenty of paperwork. But the world seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/i-m-sure-in-real-life-spying-is-boring-there-s-probably-a-lot-of/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I think a lot of people like hidden-camera shows where they think they're spying on somebody who doesn't know they're looking at them. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/i-think-a-lot-of-people-like-hidden-camera-shows-where-they-think/) [Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/) > [I served 10 years on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, and I had the distinct privilege of meeting with real U.S. spies throughout the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hoekstra/i-served-10-years-on-the-u-s-house-intelligence-committee-and-i-had/) [Pete Hoekstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hoekstra/) > [Someone responding to the story said 'real spies do not speak like that'. Well, I am a spy and that is how they talk.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/someone-responding-to-the-story-said-real-spies-do-not-speak-like/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“So the I.F. is spying on Earth." "Just as a mother spies on her children at play in the yard." "Good to know you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/so-the-i-f-is-spying-on-earth-just-as-a-mother-spies-on-her-children/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Pinto recalled in his memoirs after the war that Waelti, who was actually a Dutchman, "did not look like a very dangerous figure, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-verkaik/pinto-recalled-in-his-memoirs-after-the-war-that-waelti-who-was/) Robert Verkaik > [Spying is always an expensive method of acquiring information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-lester/spying-is-always-an-expensive-method-of-acquiring-information/) [Muriel Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-lester/) > [“That wasn't like spying. Any fool can spy. A spy has a clean, exciting life. 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That's impossible of course. We act it to one another, all this hardness; but we aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/we-have-to-live-without-sympathy-don-t-we-that-s-impossible-of-course/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“What the hell? Was I about to get off in a laundry room spying on the back of some cowboy I’d known for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/what-the-hell-was-i-about-to-get-off-in-a-laundry-room-spying-on-the/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“All right, shadow-priest, you've been spying — on what? What state secrets have you learned watching me groom these horses?' 'Only that they hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/all-right-shadow-priest-you-ve-been-spying-on-what-what-state-secrets/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) ## More by Richard Armitage > [Some of the mail I've had has been weird. 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