Your iconic contribution is rich! As an Ethiopian-born Eritrean-American, I thank you for exposing the foul nature of US foreign and domestic policies conducted covertly in BAD FAITH. That’s so hard to explain to the every-day American who truly loves their country. You risked all to shed transformative light upon the national and international state of affairs yet tragically, the propagandist media has done their best to sideline the narrative with more “pressing matters” - drown out the messenger. You resemble the prophet Jeremiah standing up to kingdoms fearlessly. The Truth is always stronger than any Super Power when handled by a faithful Messenger and that you are, Snowden. My Blessing to you is May His Righteous Right Hand Uphold you and humiliate all your enemies, enemies of Truth and enduring Peace. Amen
I’ve been a fan of Ai Weiwei ever since watching the documentary “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry” years ago. Thank you for alerting me to his book, Edward, but more importantly, thank you for modeling the bravery I extolled in “Letter to a Colluder: Stop Enabling Tyranny” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/letter-to-a-colluder-stop-enabling).
We need your voice and your continued vigilance. I am grateful to be standing beside you in our joint mission to unmask totalitarianism and awaken the sleeping before tyranny triumphs.
It was in Dublin a few years back, I heard you talking on the radio. It was about your book, and the tone of your voice, what you said, stayed with me. Your book was so well written, I knew then you were an American hero.
For the moment, I, too, have lost all words.
My father once told me that it wasn’t necessary for multitudes to affect change, all it took was the actions of a few. I am awed by your humility, your intellect, your compassion.
We approach a crossroads, an uncertain future. But if free people survive, your son will know you as an avatar, not of shame, but as a man of uncommon virtue and courage.
I thank you for all these things, and foresee the day when you will be embraced by the love of all who you inspire.
"Under the pressure to conform, everyone sank into an ideological swamp of “criticism” and “self-criticism.”"
I still remember the required self-criticisms from the late 1980ies in East Germany. Then they disappeared from my view for decades ... until my employer suddenly started to ask exactly such self-criticisms from its employees. Before meeting our boss for an "appraisal", we had to fill in a form, in which we had to detail everything we did wrong in the past year and how we would do better next year. 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, has corporate capitalism incorporated the worst lessons from (formerly) real existing socialism?
I hear you. Inspiration in these times is difficult. I focus on the small things that I used to overlook. Finding beauty in unlikely places, and the same with wisdom.
I grew up in East Germany, immigrated to America in 1997. Never expected to see the totalitarian censorship again so soon, but its in full force here in California. Yearning for a country where to feel free, but seems like that will have to be a state of mind? And even that last resort (the mind) under daily assault to be shaped into censored narrative. So grateful for your writing! 🙏
Brilliant, relatable and deeply relevant as always, Mr. Snowden. I’m an editor at «Schweizer Monat», Switzerland’s oldest intellectual magazine. We’re currently preparing a thorough investigation into cryptography – we are determined to prepare our readers for a future where they’ll be able to protect their privacy amidst state and corporate attacks.
We’d be deeply honoured to feature your insight. Do we have your permission to translate your recent Substack article regarding Apple’s CSAM-detection system into German?
PS - re "...where they’ll be able to protect their privacy amidst state and corporate attacks."
Good luck with that! Aside from the fact, I believe, that anything put on a computer can be hacked - paraphrasing Einstein, problems cannot be solved at the same level of thinking that created them ....
So, unless we believe that electronic communication is the only way to communicate, in which case we will continue to play, and lose (except for the companies that make money out of providing "cybersecurity"), we will have engage the problem at a different level of thinking ...
The Inspirational 'Desert' that you allude to at the beginning is something, as a writer, I regularly experience. For a while I was frustrated and angry but have mellowed over time as I realise my writing does not come from me but that I am simply a channel for whatever I am working on. With this realisation comes a great peace of mind and a bonding with whatever the source of my work is. To define that is very personal task and I leave it with you and your readers to define as what they feel 'comfortable' with. As for you work . . . God Bless you for all you do in a world gone completely mad. Kindest.
Hey Ed. Often times I also lose my spark to write to my readers, and like you, I don't want to publish garbage and waste their time. I think you're on the right track though. Being patient, searching for answers (and questions), digging deep, and writing as soon as the heart gives a signal.
This is a really beautiful and moving piece of writing. I appreciate it so much! Every day I wish my son, now eighteen, could have come of age during a different time and maybe a different place. As people I have grown up with increasingly abandon the concept of freedom as a desirable destination for the world, I find myself longing for the mess and exuberance of my childhood, just as I see him longing for his. It was only when I got older that I realized how much my father had given up for me in his life, how hard he had worked at a brutal job, and how he did it all for his kids. It’s part of what invigorates me to fight for my son and his future. I hope this doesn’t sound melodramatic, but I would lie down and die tomorrow if I thought it would secure his future in a free world; however, those of us who are grown are instead called upon by the times to live for the fight now before us. Maybe it is the same fight parents have always had, and I’m only just realizing it. My dad worked brutal hour after brutal hour, and my mom discussed the constellations with me at night and took me to the library by day, so that I could sit here, now, at a laptop, at a desk, in a house, with memories of a free and lovely childhood. It's the least of what I wish for all children.
The struggle is real. How to cultivate and nurture our connection to humanity while being surrounded by so many dark forces that threaten to extinguish the spirit that makes us who we are. Art and poetry are frequently used life lines. When my children where young I memories a few of the poems that spoke to my heart. I did this because I could not sing and so lullabies were out of the question. To this day my adult children will ask me for a poem. It restores a sense of beauty and connectedness to both our worlds. Thank you Edward, for reminding me of this.
Since you have been an inspiration to me I cannot help but think that what moves you may also resonate with me. I bought 3 of the books to be shared with those I love and hunger for the same creative inspiration. We are going to read it together in stages and share our impression and reflections. Thank you for the direction.
As a multidisciplinary artist, I suppose I’m supposed to feel the urge to be inspired more often than I do.
I used to feel it much more when I would compare myself to others. Since I rarely do that anymore, I rarely feel that dark hole of longing for inspiration.
Nobody knows where inspiration hides, or it’s destination.
Today I heard a 3 time accredited doctor in a talk, discuss how humans create nothing except art, and that art and music may be all that can save us. (He may not have exactly said that, but it was close)
As a person who has deeply resisted being labeled an artist my entire life, his words felt like a wake up call to me deep in my bones. Or, mitochondria as he would probably say.
Something about watching Citizen Four last night, and his words today, then reading your thoughts now, and subscribing so I could attempt to share how your words moved me, has left me here, now, wanting to say that which I don’t know.
I so admire your courage. Or what I perceive to be courage.
I am pretty naive to the ways of government and until the “pandemic” lived in a bubble of believing our government may have bad people in it, but overall it was good and trustworthy and the best one in the world.
Boy have I had a long overdue awakening.
Part of me wishes I could fall back asleep.
I’ve been left in an awakened state, unable to unsee, and feeling a despair so deep and a sense of hopelessness I can’t describe.
And, at the same time, there’s this inner knowing that I was woken for a purpose and it well may be to contribute in a way to support others with my gifts.
I don’t know.
I resist deeply the “you need to hear what I have to say” mindset. It feels arrogant to me.
How could I possibly know what another needs and that “I” have something they need???? No. No. No. that makes me cringe.
And… when I put my work out there, it touches lives and hearts. I’m told that again and again. People have written saying my “art”
1. kept them from taking their life
2. Cured their agoraphobia
3. Helped them heal
4. Inspired them to reconcile an old relationship
5. Healed their depression
and lots of other things like those above.
I really did not plan on writing anything remotely like this!!! I may very well delete it and craft something else, but this is what is coming out so I’m going with it.
I can’t imagine what it must be like to have done what you did. Only I can a little on a tiny scale and compare it to when I saw a new manager at a job I had do the dirty work of firing lifelong employees in the most horrible way and feeling helpless watching others say nothing. So I did. And it cost me the job and was so scary.
And what you did was a billion times more risky and yet you did it.
I have so much admiration for you and imagine you sleep well at night.
I love that you have a son and wife by your side. And I feel like I’m just learning about you:
I knew listening to you speak you were thoughtful and deep, but until reading this piece I had no idea how creative and connected you were to love and life. But it makes sense.
I’m surprised there aren’t thousands of comments.
I feel like reading this today, and writing a comment today, is highly significant in my journey and what I am being called to do in this next chapter of my life.
If I hadn’t written so much already, I’d tell you more as there’s so much I want to share.
Not because I think you need it, but because the things that come to mind are so wonderful and impactful, that I want everyone I know to know about them if they don’t.
Sorta how I feel now after reading your piece about the book.
I met a dear friend during the pandemic and his life I think would be very interesting to you. He is the smartest person I’ve ever met by far, and a person with the most diverse, incredible lived experience I have EVER heard of. And I’ve only heard a tiny bit.
From working for our government at the age of 6 to helping end genocides in places most never knew they were happening, to addressing the UN, then ringing the bell at the stock exchange, he’s fascinating, real, and working hard wherever and whenever he can to help out humanity back into humans.
So my first share to you besides my long list will be his personal website. (He has various business ones too) and my hope is you are inspired by his work and the documentary’s was featured in calked Future Dreaming. (On the site)
So funny I didn’t think I would share all I did. I was going to tell you about finding inspiration.
And I suppose sharing all I did and ending with sharing about my friend does that as he, like you, inspires me.
I’ll end with a line about inspiration and then his website.
Once again you've left us
speechless. Thanks beautiful writing... I'd like to say my remedy is kitten videos and dogey memes if human minds where so simple.
Kitten videos can be pure magic.
All due respect, I am curious to find out who put the seeds of kitten videos in anybody’s mind?
^Uh huh.
Your iconic contribution is rich! As an Ethiopian-born Eritrean-American, I thank you for exposing the foul nature of US foreign and domestic policies conducted covertly in BAD FAITH. That’s so hard to explain to the every-day American who truly loves their country. You risked all to shed transformative light upon the national and international state of affairs yet tragically, the propagandist media has done their best to sideline the narrative with more “pressing matters” - drown out the messenger. You resemble the prophet Jeremiah standing up to kingdoms fearlessly. The Truth is always stronger than any Super Power when handled by a faithful Messenger and that you are, Snowden. My Blessing to you is May His Righteous Right Hand Uphold you and humiliate all your enemies, enemies of Truth and enduring Peace. Amen
I’ve been a fan of Ai Weiwei ever since watching the documentary “Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry” years ago. Thank you for alerting me to his book, Edward, but more importantly, thank you for modeling the bravery I extolled in “Letter to a Colluder: Stop Enabling Tyranny” (https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/letter-to-a-colluder-stop-enabling).
We need your voice and your continued vigilance. I am grateful to be standing beside you in our joint mission to unmask totalitarianism and awaken the sleeping before tyranny triumphs.
It was in Dublin a few years back, I heard you talking on the radio. It was about your book, and the tone of your voice, what you said, stayed with me. Your book was so well written, I knew then you were an American hero.
For the moment, I, too, have lost all words.
My father once told me that it wasn’t necessary for multitudes to affect change, all it took was the actions of a few. I am awed by your humility, your intellect, your compassion.
We approach a crossroads, an uncertain future. But if free people survive, your son will know you as an avatar, not of shame, but as a man of uncommon virtue and courage.
I thank you for all these things, and foresee the day when you will be embraced by the love of all who you inspire.
Craig A. Snider
Allen Cove
"Under the pressure to conform, everyone sank into an ideological swamp of “criticism” and “self-criticism.”"
I still remember the required self-criticisms from the late 1980ies in East Germany. Then they disappeared from my view for decades ... until my employer suddenly started to ask exactly such self-criticisms from its employees. Before meeting our boss for an "appraisal", we had to fill in a form, in which we had to detail everything we did wrong in the past year and how we would do better next year. 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, has corporate capitalism incorporated the worst lessons from (formerly) real existing socialism?
I hear you. Inspiration in these times is difficult. I focus on the small things that I used to overlook. Finding beauty in unlikely places, and the same with wisdom.
I recently went for a walk with no technology and just stared at the night sky, it was very refreshing
Substantial tech innovations in Iceland indicating proof of concept:
https://youtu.be/enMwwQy_noI
Awesome.
I grew up in East Germany, immigrated to America in 1997. Never expected to see the totalitarian censorship again so soon, but its in full force here in California. Yearning for a country where to feel free, but seems like that will have to be a state of mind? And even that last resort (the mind) under daily assault to be shaped into censored narrative. So grateful for your writing! 🙏
Brilliant, relatable and deeply relevant as always, Mr. Snowden. I’m an editor at «Schweizer Monat», Switzerland’s oldest intellectual magazine. We’re currently preparing a thorough investigation into cryptography – we are determined to prepare our readers for a future where they’ll be able to protect their privacy amidst state and corporate attacks.
We’d be deeply honoured to feature your insight. Do we have your permission to translate your recent Substack article regarding Apple’s CSAM-detection system into German?
Best wishes from Zurich,
Jannik
As Addict mentioned, anyone is welcome to independently translate my writing here into a foreign language.
Just please make sure to mention that it first appeared here in English, so those who can read English are able to find the source. Thank you.
Most certainly! Thank you very much, keep up the good work.
All the best,
Jannik
He has previously stated in a comment that anyone is welcome to translate anything he writes
PS - re "...where they’ll be able to protect their privacy amidst state and corporate attacks."
Good luck with that! Aside from the fact, I believe, that anything put on a computer can be hacked - paraphrasing Einstein, problems cannot be solved at the same level of thinking that created them ....
So, unless we believe that electronic communication is the only way to communicate, in which case we will continue to play, and lose (except for the companies that make money out of providing "cybersecurity"), we will have engage the problem at a different level of thinking ...
Considering Ed's stance on freedom, why do you think you would need his permission? Do you think he thinks so?
The Inspirational 'Desert' that you allude to at the beginning is something, as a writer, I regularly experience. For a while I was frustrated and angry but have mellowed over time as I realise my writing does not come from me but that I am simply a channel for whatever I am working on. With this realisation comes a great peace of mind and a bonding with whatever the source of my work is. To define that is very personal task and I leave it with you and your readers to define as what they feel 'comfortable' with. As for you work . . . God Bless you for all you do in a world gone completely mad. Kindest.
Hey Ed. Often times I also lose my spark to write to my readers, and like you, I don't want to publish garbage and waste their time. I think you're on the right track though. Being patient, searching for answers (and questions), digging deep, and writing as soon as the heart gives a signal.
Thank you Ed, as always
This is a really beautiful and moving piece of writing. I appreciate it so much! Every day I wish my son, now eighteen, could have come of age during a different time and maybe a different place. As people I have grown up with increasingly abandon the concept of freedom as a desirable destination for the world, I find myself longing for the mess and exuberance of my childhood, just as I see him longing for his. It was only when I got older that I realized how much my father had given up for me in his life, how hard he had worked at a brutal job, and how he did it all for his kids. It’s part of what invigorates me to fight for my son and his future. I hope this doesn’t sound melodramatic, but I would lie down and die tomorrow if I thought it would secure his future in a free world; however, those of us who are grown are instead called upon by the times to live for the fight now before us. Maybe it is the same fight parents have always had, and I’m only just realizing it. My dad worked brutal hour after brutal hour, and my mom discussed the constellations with me at night and took me to the library by day, so that I could sit here, now, at a laptop, at a desk, in a house, with memories of a free and lovely childhood. It's the least of what I wish for all children.
The struggle is real. How to cultivate and nurture our connection to humanity while being surrounded by so many dark forces that threaten to extinguish the spirit that makes us who we are. Art and poetry are frequently used life lines. When my children where young I memories a few of the poems that spoke to my heart. I did this because I could not sing and so lullabies were out of the question. To this day my adult children will ask me for a poem. It restores a sense of beauty and connectedness to both our worlds. Thank you Edward, for reminding me of this.
It is universal -- everywhere the same if unlimited power to a few. This just in -- fromUK this time:
The cynicism stalking Britain is all too familiar -- Nesrine Malik - The Guardian - 08 November 2021
I have lived under corrupt regimes – the cynicism stalking Britain is all too familiar | Nesrine Malik | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/08/corrupt-regimes-cynicism-britain-voters-political-class
Since you have been an inspiration to me I cannot help but think that what moves you may also resonate with me. I bought 3 of the books to be shared with those I love and hunger for the same creative inspiration. We are going to read it together in stages and share our impression and reflections. Thank you for the direction.
Thank you.
As a multidisciplinary artist, I suppose I’m supposed to feel the urge to be inspired more often than I do.
I used to feel it much more when I would compare myself to others. Since I rarely do that anymore, I rarely feel that dark hole of longing for inspiration.
Nobody knows where inspiration hides, or it’s destination.
Today I heard a 3 time accredited doctor in a talk, discuss how humans create nothing except art, and that art and music may be all that can save us. (He may not have exactly said that, but it was close)
As a person who has deeply resisted being labeled an artist my entire life, his words felt like a wake up call to me deep in my bones. Or, mitochondria as he would probably say.
Something about watching Citizen Four last night, and his words today, then reading your thoughts now, and subscribing so I could attempt to share how your words moved me, has left me here, now, wanting to say that which I don’t know.
I so admire your courage. Or what I perceive to be courage.
I am pretty naive to the ways of government and until the “pandemic” lived in a bubble of believing our government may have bad people in it, but overall it was good and trustworthy and the best one in the world.
Boy have I had a long overdue awakening.
Part of me wishes I could fall back asleep.
I’ve been left in an awakened state, unable to unsee, and feeling a despair so deep and a sense of hopelessness I can’t describe.
And, at the same time, there’s this inner knowing that I was woken for a purpose and it well may be to contribute in a way to support others with my gifts.
I don’t know.
I resist deeply the “you need to hear what I have to say” mindset. It feels arrogant to me.
How could I possibly know what another needs and that “I” have something they need???? No. No. No. that makes me cringe.
And… when I put my work out there, it touches lives and hearts. I’m told that again and again. People have written saying my “art”
1. kept them from taking their life
2. Cured their agoraphobia
3. Helped them heal
4. Inspired them to reconcile an old relationship
5. Healed their depression
and lots of other things like those above.
I really did not plan on writing anything remotely like this!!! I may very well delete it and craft something else, but this is what is coming out so I’m going with it.
I can’t imagine what it must be like to have done what you did. Only I can a little on a tiny scale and compare it to when I saw a new manager at a job I had do the dirty work of firing lifelong employees in the most horrible way and feeling helpless watching others say nothing. So I did. And it cost me the job and was so scary.
And what you did was a billion times more risky and yet you did it.
I have so much admiration for you and imagine you sleep well at night.
I love that you have a son and wife by your side. And I feel like I’m just learning about you:
I knew listening to you speak you were thoughtful and deep, but until reading this piece I had no idea how creative and connected you were to love and life. But it makes sense.
I’m surprised there aren’t thousands of comments.
I feel like reading this today, and writing a comment today, is highly significant in my journey and what I am being called to do in this next chapter of my life.
If I hadn’t written so much already, I’d tell you more as there’s so much I want to share.
Not because I think you need it, but because the things that come to mind are so wonderful and impactful, that I want everyone I know to know about them if they don’t.
Sorta how I feel now after reading your piece about the book.
I met a dear friend during the pandemic and his life I think would be very interesting to you. He is the smartest person I’ve ever met by far, and a person with the most diverse, incredible lived experience I have EVER heard of. And I’ve only heard a tiny bit.
From working for our government at the age of 6 to helping end genocides in places most never knew they were happening, to addressing the UN, then ringing the bell at the stock exchange, he’s fascinating, real, and working hard wherever and whenever he can to help out humanity back into humans.
So my first share to you besides my long list will be his personal website. (He has various business ones too) and my hope is you are inspired by his work and the documentary’s was featured in calked Future Dreaming. (On the site)
So funny I didn’t think I would share all I did. I was going to tell you about finding inspiration.
And I suppose sharing all I did and ending with sharing about my friend does that as he, like you, inspires me.
I’ll end with a line about inspiration and then his website.
“Forever seeking
the fire of its presence
And when it finally hits,
in its struggle and fits
It’s as precious as silence.”
DavidMartin.world
Thank you Edward. Excited to be a subscriber.