5 ms·

Edward Snowden: The Whistleblower Fantasy

37 points by eggspurt 11y ago

pmilot 11y ago
Maybe it's just because I don't frequent social networks all that much, but I've never been exposed to this sort of depiction of Edward Snowden. The only coverage I've come across of him focused solely on what he did or his current predicament, not his image. Even calling that Wired cover "sexualized" seems a little farfetched to me.
- elcapitan 11y ago
  Not using social media is probably the simplest and most effective strategy to stick to the 'real issues'.
  - 0942v8653 11y ago
    … and yet here we all are.
    - johnchristopher 11y ago
      Does HN fall into the social network category ?
      - rm_-rf_slash 11y ago
        Every human network is a social network. Whether you're on YouTube or Hacker News or a neighborhood book club, your experiences will be shaped by the people in your network. That being said, some platforms are inherently better than others, depending on your definition of "better". The New York Times can be occasionally stringent when reviewing comments but at least it keeps the drivel out. Likewise, HN is a great community because the people here have an expectation that statements of fact require evidence to be taken seriously.
      - rootbear 11y ago
        I don't think so. The signal to noise ratio here is much higher than on typical social media. It's self policing and there are rewards (karma) for good behavior that are absent on most social media. HN to me feels more like early Usenet newsgroups than it does something like Facebook.
        elcapitan 11y ago
        I appreciate that the ego-factor is very low here. No profiles, no avatars, no 'mentioning' of other people, just the author name of a comment, that's it. Also - hn doesn't center around people, but around topics. That changes the whole thing.
- coldpie 11y ago
  Apparently the author finds Rubik's Cubes to be sexual aides, so I think this piece may be more a reflection on the author than on anyone else.
colinbartlett 11y ago
> The Rubik’s cube almost as a sex toy of those paranoid for dataveillance, a symbol of the genius needed to beat corrupt political systems. Honestly? What is this garbage? Interesting commentary, maybe, but I can't say I agree with any of this. Is this a respected author or news source of whose opinion I should be more accepting?
- x5n1 11y ago
  > Is this a respected author or news source of whose opinion I should be more accepting? Do you let fame determine the legitimacy of the your media you listen to?
  - TillE 11y ago
    That's just a reason you might take a second look at an article which seems pretty stupid - if the author is previously known for intelligent commentary.
  - elthran 11y ago
    How do you not? Someone's history and expertise should absolutely be used as a gauge of how to view the information they're presenting. Do you treat Fox News the same as the BBC? Or are you going to take David Icke at the same level of truth as Glen Greenwald?
    - x5n1 11y ago
      > David Icke at the same level of truth as Glen Greenwald? I treat all non lizard-people with similar level of "truthiness"
      - voidz 11y ago
        Also, don't forget to buy seeds while you still can!
  - phpnode 11y ago
    Well, yes, to a large degree. A famous, reputable news source is generally going to provide better quality service than smaller media outlets.
paulajohnson 11y ago
I followed this expecting an analysis of the "whistleblower protection" that some people think Snowdon could have availed himself of. Instead I got "Hey, look, I hope you're not being distracted by this big media distraction I'm part of."
dangerlibrary 11y ago
One can further an argument in this way - by simultaneously writing an article sexualizing Snowden and arguing that he is being sexualized in articles. Recursion should be old hat to this crowd, though. It's not interesting or thought provoking.
oneJob 11y ago
This diatribe is regarding the media's handling of one of many recent whistleblower stories, and an atypical one at that. After beginning with a historical expiation of the etymology of the term, the author goes on to discard other current whistleblower stories, the vast majority of which the media has covered in a starkly different manner, and commits the sin they are condemning, that of sesationalizing the Snowden case.
ablation 11y ago
Hilariously adolescent garbage.
grandalf 11y ago
When presenting ideas to primates, it's helpful to create emotion and tension by introducing an element of sex. This applies to any ideas whatsoever. We are animals.
hxatekin 11y ago
what if this writing is sci-fi theoretical non-fiction? What makes you ascribe the quality of adolescence onto certain forms of theorizing?

37 points by eggspurt 11y ago

Maybe it's just because I don't frequent social networks all that much, but I've never been exposed to this sort of depiction of Edward Snowden. The only coverage I've come across of him focused solely on what he did or his current predicament, not his image. Even calling that Wired cover "sexualized" seems a little farfetched to me.

elcapitan 11y ago
Not using social media is probably the simplest and most effective strategy to stick to the 'real issues'.
- 0942v8653 11y ago
  … and yet here we all are.
  - johnchristopher 11y ago
    Does HN fall into the social network category ?
    - rm_-rf_slash 11y ago
      Every human network is a social network. Whether you're on YouTube or Hacker News or a neighborhood book club, your experiences will be shaped by the people in your network. That being said, some platforms are inherently better than others, depending on your definition of "better". The New York Times can be occasionally stringent when reviewing comments but at least it keeps the drivel out. Likewise, HN is a great community because the people here have an expectation that statements of fact require evidence to be taken seriously.
    - rootbear 11y ago
      I don't think so. The signal to noise ratio here is much higher than on typical social media. It's self policing and there are rewards (karma) for good behavior that are absent on most social media. HN to me feels more like early Usenet newsgroups than it does something like Facebook.
      - elcapitan 11y ago
        I appreciate that the ego-factor is very low here. No profiles, no avatars, no 'mentioning' of other people, just the author name of a comment, that's it. Also - hn doesn't center around people, but around topics. That changes the whole thing.
coldpie 11y ago
Apparently the author finds Rubik's Cubes to be sexual aides, so I think this piece may be more a reflection on the author than on anyone else.

colinbartlett 11y ago

> The Rubik’s cube almost as a sex toy of those paranoid for dataveillance, a symbol of the genius needed to beat corrupt political systems. Honestly? What is this garbage? Interesting commentary, maybe, but I can't say I agree with any of this. Is this a respected author or news source of whose opinion I should be more accepting?

x5n1 11y ago
> Is this a respected author or news source of whose opinion I should be more accepting? Do you let fame determine the legitimacy of the your media you listen to?
- TillE 11y ago
  That's just a reason you might take a second look at an article which seems pretty stupid - if the author is previously known for intelligent commentary.
- elthran 11y ago
  How do you not? Someone's history and expertise should absolutely be used as a gauge of how to view the information they're presenting. Do you treat Fox News the same as the BBC? Or are you going to take David Icke at the same level of truth as Glen Greenwald?
  - x5n1 11y ago
    > David Icke at the same level of truth as Glen Greenwald? I treat all non lizard-people with similar level of "truthiness"
    - voidz 11y ago
      Also, don't forget to buy seeds while you still can!
- phpnode 11y ago
  Well, yes, to a large degree. A famous, reputable news source is generally going to provide better quality service than smaller media outlets.

paulajohnson 11y ago

I followed this expecting an analysis of the "whistleblower protection" that some people think Snowdon could have availed himself of. Instead I got "Hey, look, I hope you're not being distracted by this big media distraction I'm part of."

dangerlibrary 11y ago

One can further an argument in this way - by simultaneously writing an article sexualizing Snowden and arguing that he is being sexualized in articles. Recursion should be old hat to this crowd, though. It's not interesting or thought provoking.

oneJob 11y ago

This diatribe is regarding the media's handling of one of many recent whistleblower stories, and an atypical one at that. After beginning with a historical expiation of the etymology of the term, the author goes on to discard other current whistleblower stories, the vast majority of which the media has covered in a starkly different manner, and commits the sin they are condemning, that of sesationalizing the Snowden case.

ablation 11y ago

Hilariously adolescent garbage.

grandalf 11y ago

When presenting ideas to primates, it's helpful to create emotion and tension by introducing an element of sex. This applies to any ideas whatsoever. We are animals.

hxatekin 11y ago

what if this writing is sci-fi theoretical non-fiction? What makes you ascribe the quality of adolescence onto certain forms of theorizing?