3 ms·
I fail to see why you find this so "interesting". If Snowden lied or exaggerated, the USG would ensure that every media outlet shouted about if from the mounta
by alan_cx 13y ago
I fail to see why you find this so "interesting".
If Snowden lied or exaggerated, the USG would ensure that every media outlet shouted about if from the mountain tops until no one couldn't know. Snowden would be destroyed as a liar. If the USG lie or exaggerates, Snowden cannot ensure the same. Additionally, government is based on lies, lying is what government does. The ratio of power and information control is not exactly on Snowden's side. The consequences for Snowden if he were caught lying or massively exaggerating are dire. The consequences for the USG lying really minor, they lie all the time, we expect it. The for Snowden is massively less likely to be lying, since doing so would absolutely kill him off.
Additionally, we are not at the point where we have seen all the dirt the USG can dig up on him. Turns out, they cant find much at all. There for its reasonable to assume Snowden is clean. DIrt on the USG is so numerous, its so overwhelming that its essentially back ground noise.
That is why people prepared to give him the benefit of if the doubt. That is also why people are less likely to do the same with the USG, or any other government.
- anigbrowl 13y agoIf Snowden lied or exaggerated, the USG would ensure that every media outlet shouted about if from the mountain tops until no one couldn't know. That would not necessarily be good opsec. The government might consider that it's better to have the general public believe it's omniscient while being more realistic with diplomats; or it might simply decide that correcting specific inaccuracies would give too much information away. Additionally, government is based on lies, lying is what government does. Well, no bias there then.
- alan_cx 13y agoBias? Go on then, I would dearly love to know; which government is known for not lying to the public?
- anigbrowl 13y agoI like how you segue from 'government is based upon lies' to demanding I furnish you with an example of a government that has never, ever told a lie.As a matter of fact, I consider the US government quite truthful overall; it certainly lies some of the time, but thanks to things like FOIA laws it is one of the most transparent governing bodies on the planet. However, you don't seem interested in my relativist/quantitative approach, based on your fondness for sweeping generalizations and requests for negative proof.