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> Being fortune enough to end up in a decent situation does not change what he sacrificed. It really bugs me that people who defend him for ideological reasons
by seppin 7y ago
> Being fortune enough to end up in a decent situation does not change what he sacrificed.
It really bugs me that people who defend him for ideological reasons cannot admit that he had benefited from the entire ordeal. He bemoaned the lack of respect at CIA (being the IT guy isn't high up on the totem pole) and now he can skype into a conference in Geneva with thousands of people hanging on his every word. He has a twitter account with a headshot of him doing his best impersonation of a greek philosopher with millions of followers.
To a lot of people, people that don't feel respected in the life and work, that type of celebrity is priceless. Money and a beach house is nothing compared to that.
If you don't think people like Assange and Snowden have a hero complex, and are only motivated by "truth" and "justice", you are kidding yourself.
- boomboomsubban 7y agoNone of the things he has was guaranteed when he went public. There was a good chance he never made it out of Hong Kong as a free man, and a decent chance of death. Even if he did desire the fame, which I do not personally believe, he risked everything for it.
- seppin 7y agoI don't think I ever insinuated his move was without risk. I said it was calculated to shield himself from any consequence, and maintain the narrative so he could enjoy his new-found power and celebrity. Like I said, you want a real hero search in the political prisons of Iran or China. Or Russia, the place Snowden now calls home (under circumstances we will never know).