Tip#989: Learning through Movies, Part 3 - Snowden

I love receiving life and work lessons and insights from the movies. They usually come through an emotional scene or an epiphany watching the movie hero take action with a challenge they face. But then there are films that reveal factual information that shakes up my world and change what I thought I knew. The 2014 documentary called Citizenfour was one of those thought-provoking movies.

As I wrote in #tip#832 about Citizenfour, On one level this movie feels like a gripping thriller/horror film and on another it shocks with the information of covert mass surveillance on the general public. And as said in the documentary, “Know that every border you cross, every purchase you make, every call you dial, every cell phone tower you pass, friend you keep, site you visit, subject line you type, is in the hands of a system whose reach is unlimited but whose safeguards are not.” 

I’ve been noticing that when I’m doing a product search on a site like Amazon that the exact same product image will appear on other random sites I visit or even on Facebook as ads. They will continue to appear for days afterwards. I realize I’m being tracked and it bothers me. All this and much more are explored in detail in Oliver Stone’s film Snowden. And this is where you will learn the power of a little piece of tape over your laptop’s camera eye!



Snowden (2016)

The biographical political thriller film, Snowden, is about Edward Snowden’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) experience and shocking discoveries of mass surveillance while working for the National Security Agency and CIA. This gripping story is filled with details of the tracking systems Snowden helped build and then revealed to the world as well as an uncanny performance by Levitt of Snowden. See: movie trailer

This movie actually felt like an educational film as much as a Hollywood picture. I was learning more about the power of online technology and the infringement of personal rights. And what I also learned was really a reminder to continue being responsible for my own actions and words on social media, online and even in my text messages. I believe this can be an important lesson for anyone who sees this film.

I highly recommend you see both Snowden and Citizenfour as they are both important companion pieces from different perspectives. Watch them with the intent that you will learn something of value for your life or work. This is the power of cinema. Not only can they be a source of entertainment and inspiration, films can educate and illuminate your thoughts in a creative way!

Related Tips:
Tip#919: Learning through Movies, Part 1 - The Big Short 
Tip#920: Learning through Movies, Part 2 - Concussion 
Tip#989: Learning through Movies, Part 3 - Snowden
Tip#1042: Learning through Movies, Part 4 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 
Tip#832: What is Your Mission? – Citizenfour



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