3 ms·

This. I think hacktivism and subsequent whistle-blowing can do good, but this is pissing in the wind.

by knowaveragejoe 14y ago

vy8vWJlco 14y ago
By that token so is voiding your ballot, but if that were the only form of expression available to you, you might be happy to be able to make even that small squeak. Voiding your ballot (and in the same way, defacing a website) sends a message to your peers and the authorities that you are dissatisfied and that alone can be solidifying. That is one of the purposes of any protest, be it disassociating yourself from an injustice or creating graffiti to propagandize for your cause. It creates, at minimum, an opportunity for a group acknowledgement of that dissatisfaction. However imperfect the expression, it can still contribute to positive change. (I would also, for example, say self-immolation is a terrible waste, but it's damn hard to dismiss. In the same way, Aaron Swartz's death says something timeless, whether he intended it or not, and however regrettable or frustrating or futile or "selfish"...) Is the sentiment of disapproval here due to one wrong being used against others (which I echo) or fear ("excuse for a crackdown")?
znowi 14y ago
Yes, sadly, most cases of whistle-blowing in the government sector end up in retaliation and prosecution of whistle-blowers themselves and little to no change in the relevant agencies. Wikileaks had a great potential. It's like a startup set out to disrupt the market of public/government relations. But it was washed away into near-irrelevance. And not only because the forces they stood up against are immensely powerful, but also because most people, really, don't care. Nonetheless, I'm glad whistle-blowers exist and have guts to speak up. The case of Wikileaks and others did reveal how deeply corrupt are those in power and how grand their appetites are.

3 ms·

This. I think hacktivism and subsequent whistle-blowing can do good, but this is pissing in the wind.

by knowaveragejoe 14y ago

This. I think hacktivism and subsequent whistle-blowing can do good, but this is pissing in the wind.

vy8vWJlco 14y ago
By that token so is voiding your ballot, but if that were the only form of expression available to you, you might be happy to be able to make even that small squeak. Voiding your ballot (and in the same way, defacing a website) sends a message to your peers and the authorities that you are dissatisfied and that alone can be solidifying. That is one of the purposes of any protest, be it disassociating yourself from an injustice or creating graffiti to propagandize for your cause. It creates, at minimum, an opportunity for a group acknowledgement of that dissatisfaction. However imperfect the expression, it can still contribute to positive change. (I would also, for example, say self-immolation is a terrible waste, but it's damn hard to dismiss. In the same way, Aaron Swartz's death says something timeless, whether he intended it or not, and however regrettable or frustrating or futile or "selfish"...) Is the sentiment of disapproval here due to one wrong being used against others (which I echo) or fear ("excuse for a crackdown")?
znowi 14y ago
Yes, sadly, most cases of whistle-blowing in the government sector end up in retaliation and prosecution of whistle-blowers themselves and little to no change in the relevant agencies. Wikileaks had a great potential. It's like a startup set out to disrupt the market of public/government relations. But it was washed away into near-irrelevance. And not only because the forces they stood up against are immensely powerful, but also because most people, really, don't care. Nonetheless, I'm glad whistle-blowers exist and have guts to speak up. The case of Wikileaks and others did reveal how deeply corrupt are those in power and how grand their appetites are.