Edward Snowden: A True Hero

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According to British actor Tom Hiddleston, “Every villain is the hero in their own story”.When Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency subcontractor, leaked classified and confidential government records to media outlets for the world to access, many hailed him as a courageous and righteous hero. However, even though many, including Snowden himself, believe that his actions were heroic, society’s definition of a hero clearly portray Snowden as a self-centered villain. One fundamental pillar of a heroic personality is the presence of courage. Some could argue that Snowden’s willingness to leave behind his luxurious lifestyle and lucrative salary to alert the public of the government’s actions is indeed courageous. However, Snowden …show more content…
Snowden ignorantly claims that his actions were in support of the ideals of privacy and freedom. However, he now resides in communist countries that “[have] no commitment at all to free speech or the right to political dissent”(Toobin online). Both China and Russia are countries that historically are in competition with the United States due to the conflicting styles of government. To put these secrets in the reach of such potential enemies demonstrates either the ignorance or hypocrisy of Edward Snowden. Furthermore, since Snowden “spent months meticulously studying every document”(Cassidy online), he is putting the United States secrets in danger because he is believed to possess more government secrets than those initially shared. This may not be Snowden’s intention, but it clearly portrays him as reckless and selfish. Similarly, Snowden “wasn’t blowing the whistle on anything illegal; he was exposing something that failed to meet his own standards of propriety”(Toobin online). He feels as if he should be the one who decides what is moral and immoral. Essentially, “he’s more loyal to his personal ideals than government and national security”(Van Sandt