I just watched Citizenfour. From the get-go I had the feeling that this was gonna be one of those experiences which I would rather not have had, simply because I don’t want to live in a world as the one depicted. And it’s not just depicted as such, because it’s not a made-up story. It’s not fiction. It’s the way of the world.

But it’s not the world I want to live in. Sorry, but it just isn’t. Where some people deem themselves overlords over others. In some ways, I’m probably guilty of that myself – lording over others, people with lesser means than I have in one form or another. It still isn’t the direction I want to see the world evolve.

Anyway, watching this story of one man with such knowledge of what the system/s contain that he has no choice but to expose it, my heart goes out for him. But more than that, I am grateful for people like Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers, who put themselves at risk for the greater good.

I am left with one lingering thought, which is likely the most naive stance to take, but yet, it’s my stance:
The only way to not have to worry about what get’s out where, is to be totally transparent. If there’s nothing to hide, there’s nothing you cannot stand for, is there? Then you wouldn’t have to sit at a congressional hearing and willfully lie to the people before you. You wouldn’t have to use shady ways of leaning on people to get them to back down and/or keep quiet.

But no, I don’t know if that’s even possible, if a government and it’s agencies can choose that path. I don’t know. Perhaps not. But I know I can. As an individual. Stand for what I do. Which doesn’t mean I display my every action, word, thought, but that I could. If called on them, I could. Because I stand for them, or at least that’s my intent. Being human, I stumble and fall, and take action in ways I regret, for sure, but that’s what being human is, isn’t it?

Anyway. I’d like to say thank you, Ed, for all that you did. For the risks you took, for the path of life – likely nowhere near the way you dreamt your life would turn out – you deliberately stepped upon, for the sake of us all. Thank you, Ed!

PS – Haven’t watched it yet? Do it. Just do it. Ok?