Could You Be a Spy?

Zoe Samuel

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About This Quiz

Spies have been a feature of statecraft since the dawn of civilization. Some spies are little more than scouts, while other spies infiltrate the highest levels of an enemy's state, private, and military apparatus, subverting systems to obtain information that will help the state that employs them.

Strictly speaking, we'll be using the popular definition of "spy" rather than the literal one. The popular definition is that of a secret agent like James Bond, working for their home state, cultivating contacts and obtaining intelligence. The actual definition of the term "spy" is not Bond per se, but the people Bond gets to betray their own nations. For our purposes, however, a spy is more the Bond or Bourne model of secret agent working directly for a state entity.

In the United States, spies come in many flavors. There are the traditional CIA spies who look outside of the U.S. to our enemies and rivals abroad, spying on Russia, the Taliban, etc. There is the FBI, who conduct spy operations on criminal organizations like the mafia, within the USA. Then there are intelligence officers who work for the Department of Defense, who may work directly with sources in the field, allies, or enemies, to obtain intelligence. Aside from these, there are industrial spies, who work for corporations, stealing the secrets of their competitors.

Do you have the skills needed for one of these careers? Take this quiz to find out!

Are you a quick study?

Are you willing to upend your life for your career?

Are you willing to do unsavory things in the name of a higher cause?

How important is money to you?

How do you feel about lying?

How empathetic are you?

What is your drug use history?

What is the worst harm you've done to another human being?

How were your grades in college?

How are you with DIY?

How many languages do you speak?

Do you have any hand-to-hand training?

What weapon do you know how to use?

How hip to foreign cultures are you?

Do you have any history of insubordination?

Would you die for your country?

Would you betray your country in a small way for say, thirty million dollars?

Have you ever talked your way out of a traffic ticket?

What is it about espionage that you look forward to the most?

What were you doing for a living before considering a career in intelligence?

How up to date are you on global events?

How conversant are you on the subject of business?

How sensitive are you to matters of the heart?

Do you work well as part of a team?

How skilled are you at the use of carrots?

How are you at using the stick?

Are you capable of betraying someone who deeply trusts you?

How easily can you "leave it all on the field" when you go home at the end of the day?

Would you be willing to take on a really boring job if it were the best use of your skills?

If not espionage, which career would you consider?

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