5 ms·

Can we not group whistleblowing, a usually-legal heroic action of reporting immoral/illegal behavior (to the extent that you can be awarded millions of dollars

Can we not group whistleblowing, a usually-legal heroic action of reporting immoral/illegal behavior (to the extent that you can be awarded millions of dollars by the government for whistelblowing) with leaking trivial product details?

greedo 9y ago
If you think the motives of whistleblowers are as pure as the driven snow, we'll just have to agree to disagree. #2 covers their actions, but not all whistleblowers are related to Mother Teresa.
- LoSboccacc 9y ago
  > not all whistleblowers are related to Mother Teresa so some of them are good?
  - dang 9y ago
    Please don't do this here.
- alexandercrohde 9y ago
  You're making a strawman argument. I'm not arguing "all whistleblowers are good people," I'm citing the definition of whisteblowing is "a person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity." Reporting a CEO embezzling is whistleblowing. Announcing apple is working on a new gizmo is not. Don't conflate them.
  - greedo 9y ago
    You're conflating leakers and gossipers as bad. If they're operating under #2 in my list, their motives wouldn't be considered bad, though perhaps misguided. I think your definition is of a whistleblower is too narrow, and I prefer the fuller definition from wikipedia: "A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower)[1] is a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public." "not correct within an organization" clearly applies to the #2 in my list.
- gaius 9y ago
  not all whistleblowers are related to Mother Teresa. MT was a fanatic and a fraud, so it’s not clear if you think that’s good or bad
  - mistercleo 9y ago
    It doesn’t really matter much to the point, does it? Personally, I’d be interested if someone leaked the CIA’s research into online trolls. Something tells me you wouldn’t consider that person a saint ;)

greedo 9y ago

If you think the motives of whistleblowers are as pure as the driven snow, we'll just have to agree to disagree. #2 covers their actions, but not all whistleblowers are related to Mother Teresa.

LoSboccacc 9y ago
> not all whistleblowers are related to Mother Teresa so some of them are good?
- dang 9y ago
  Please don't do this here.
alexandercrohde 9y ago
You're making a strawman argument. I'm not arguing "all whistleblowers are good people," I'm citing the definition of whisteblowing is "a person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity." Reporting a CEO embezzling is whistleblowing. Announcing apple is working on a new gizmo is not. Don't conflate them.
- greedo 9y ago
  You're conflating leakers and gossipers as bad. If they're operating under #2 in my list, their motives wouldn't be considered bad, though perhaps misguided. I think your definition is of a whistleblower is too narrow, and I prefer the fuller definition from wikipedia: "A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower)[1] is a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public." "not correct within an organization" clearly applies to the #2 in my list.
gaius 9y ago
not all whistleblowers are related to Mother Teresa. MT was a fanatic and a fraud, so it’s not clear if you think that’s good or bad
- mistercleo 9y ago
  It doesn’t really matter much to the point, does it? Personally, I’d be interested if someone leaked the CIA’s research into online trolls. Something tells me you wouldn’t consider that person a saint ;)