Adrian Lamo Quotes & Sayings

At the time of our conversations, Chelsea Manning was 22 years of age - my own age when I made the choice to surrender to federal authorities ... I saw someone very familiar that day, and suddenly felt very old. — Adrian Lamo

I believe in a world where all these things can happen, even if I have to do them myself. — Adrian Lamo

At age 13, I was violently mugged at a busy train station. There were dozens of onlookers, but none of them lent a hand ... That was a defining point in that stage of my life. After that, I could never tell myself that it was someone else's problem, or let a situation pass me by if I felt something had to be done. I knew from experience that all too often, no one else would act. — Adrian Lamo

I don't know, and have no intention of finding out. IQ is like dick size - if you have to measure, you're way too invested in it. And both are gauche to discuss in polite company. (Upon being asked his IQ on Quora) — Adrian Lamo

I am not a wishing well with legs.
(Paraphrasing Babylon 5's Londo Mollari, repeately, when asked to perform hacking functions for strangers.) — Adrian Lamo

People represented in book or film travel vast oceans of life unrecorded; studeo time costs money, and pens grow heavy. — Adrian Lamo

It's my job to play this role that I'm cast in to the very best of my ability, the same as any other actor. You can't possibly be yourself in the public eye. All the little things that make us human don't stand up under the scrutiny of the camera. [on being a public figure] — Adrian Lamo

These things happen. — Adrian Lamo

I wish all those involved in the Wikileaks matter in the spirit of truth (rather than as a cheap opportunity to screw with a .gov they dislike) the very best. I hope that they'll bear in mind that truth is not some pure thing that brings light and scatters rose petals wherever it goes. It can hurt people that don't deserve to be hurt. It has thorns. Treat it gently.
(From an open letter.) — Adrian Lamo

It's less about technology for me, and more about religion. [on hacking] — Adrian Lamo

I'd say "what are the odds?", but I don't believe in odds anymore. I believe in a universe with a very specific and occasionally cruel sense of humor. But its cruelty is refining, if you survive it.
(Upon learning a housemate was related to Guy Fawkes) — Adrian Lamo

The universe doesn't waste anything. Sometimes, we just don't have standing to see how events or experiences are important. — Adrian Lamo

I said once that lies have no rights against truth. I was wrong. In daily life, it's the truth that's disenfranchised. What fits the popular narrative, what makes an observer happy with the consistency of events, is what is believed. — Adrian Lamo