How did Snowden's early life experiences contribute to his decision to expose government secrets?

Edward Snowden's early life experiences played a significant role in his decision to expose government secrets. Growing up in a family with strong ties to the government, with his father working at the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the Coast Guard and his mother working for the NSA, Snowden was exposed to the workings of the government from a young age. This exposure likely shaped his understanding and perspective of the government. Additionally, his early access to a computer and the internet sparked his interest in technology and information. He spent countless hours learning about various topics, which likely cultivated his skills and knowledge in information technology. This combination of a deep understanding of the government's workings and advanced IT skills eventually led him to expose government secrets.

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The move from North Carolina to Crofton, Maryland, was a social and economic step-up for the family. Snowden's father worked at the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the Coast Guard while his mother worked for the NSA. Their neighbors worked for the FBI, the Defense Department, and the Department of Commerce. The entire Beltway around Fort Meade was filled with families working with a branch or agency related to the government. It was at this time that Snowden got his first desktop computer with 8-bit color display and 200 MB of RAM. He would spend every possible minute he was allowed to on the computer. Snowden was 12 when the family got an Internet connection for the first time, thus opening an entire world of information and possibilities that occupied all his time. Whole nights would be spent on the Internet lost in endless learning about arcane topics and sleeping was reserved for the daytime. Snowden became paler and more sedentary and his grades fell. At a time when the Int...

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Permanent Record

#8 on Amazon, NY Times bestseller... For the first time, Edward Snowden, who exposed one of the government's greatest secrets, writes about his journ...

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