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Comment by ketanmaheshwari | Hacker News Reader

Tangential but I never understood the meaning of the proverb swords with two edges -- if anything it would only make the sword more lethal and powerful. How would this be applicable in this context?

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A sword with one edge will have that edge facing the enemy; a sword with two will always have one facing towards the user as well as towards the enemy.

I don't know that this is actually important for sword fighting, but the metaphor at least makes sense to me.

If you're used to a sword having a single sharp edge and behave as such while wielding a double-edged sword then the instrument you only intended to harm others with can unintentionally cause harm to yourself. I mean it's probably good idea to be carefully around swords generally, but the phrase is quite old and was maybe a bit more relatable back when it was coined :)

I guess CCTV is a sword in this context. Using separate CCTV networks, cops are spying on everyone. Criminals are spying on cops. It sounds like civilians are spying on certain criminals (halfway around the world). For the metaphor to apply, I think each side of the sword would have to be a different group using the same CCTV Network against the group that is also using it, and especially against the group that set it up in the first place. However, these are all different CCTV networks, so I don't think the sword with two edges saying exactly applies.

A more appropriate saying may be "live by the sword, die by the sword", which implies people who rely on CCTV Networks (cops) will eventually be defeated by similar nefarious tactics (CCTV networks set up by Albanian gangs).

It cuts both ways.

As in the same tool can accomplish two/opposite purposes, or in this case help opposing factions.

Yeah, a lot of historical swords like the Roman gladius or the longsword actually had two edges. It's just effective weapon design (mainly it makes it better at thrusting), not a danger to the user.

Two edges means there's always a risk you cut yourself as well if you don't know what you're doing

It's dangerous to you and the enemy because it's sharp on both sides..

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