Everyone who is awake to the realities of modern world will tell you that fear is a fundamental device of maintaining control over a population. Continual fear mongering by mainstream media is utilized heavily to ensure the population is in perpetual state of fear. I learned a long time ago not to trust anything mainstream media has to say. I also learned that, if a subject deseves prolonged news coverage, it most definitely serves a larger agenda, and needs to be examined more closely before being accepted as fact. Air time on any major media outlet is priceless, tightly controlled, and never wasted.

Which brings me to the subject of Edward Snowden, and the can of worms that his story opened. A terrifying tale of an enemy within. Governments spying on their own people. "Can it be true? It must be true. No doubt." A whistleblower, overnight becoming a celebrity the likes of which the world has never seen before, with worldwide coverage of his story that kept audiences befuddled. His leaks to be uncovered and discussed for months and years to come. The story of the man himself captivated people. Bond-like tales of plane-hopping and evading detection, secret meetings with journalists, putting cell phones in the freezer, because "they" can hear you. The world has divided in opinion: is he a hero or a traitor? A whistleblower becoming a worldwide celebrity, the world's first... Knowing what I know, it made me wonder.

If "they" wished the story to be forgotten and swept under the rug, within a week no one would have remembered who Edward Snowden was, because the next big story on TV has already captured everyone's attention. And one would think that, for a government agency to have its secrets leaked would be a good enough reason to do everything in its power to bury the story. Yet, here we are, soon to be three years after Snowden's story broke, and he is still subject to periodical news stories, and a worldwide celebrity, receiving awards and giving talks.

And then it hit me. I, being keenly aware of the global agendas and their methods, have fallen for one of the greatest tricks that has ever been pulled off. I was preaching of the intentional fear mongering to keep us all enslaved, and how we shouldn't be succumbed to their tricks, all the while completely erradicating my online presence and limiting my own right to free speech and expression because of fear implanted in me by the Snowden leaks. I did not wish to be surveilled, profiled, or otherwise targeted, which lead to me essentially becoming a passive observer.

There are certainly many good things that came out of the Snowden leaks. Many more people have become aware of how they manage and share their personal information online, agendas of companies like Facebook and Google, and importance of encryption. While we should protect our personal data, we must not become passive onlookers because of fear of surveillance, for that is the ultimate agenda: to shut up anyone who has something to say. We must stand up to the oppression and be proud of our thoughts, our deeds, and our rights. Our minds and spirits shall not be crippled.