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Wow. I am completely torn between really wanting to work for the NSA because they have the ability to do really awesome analysis like that with huge amounts of

Wow. I am completely torn between really wanting to work for the NSA because they have the ability to do really awesome analysis like that with huge amounts of data, and being deathly terrified. Nothing in that article should be a surprise to me, or anyone else who can half-guess the NSA's capabilities, but it is still shocking to read. For some reason, knowing that the NSA has information on literally everyone stored in some database isn't that frightening to me, but seeing specific details that they could have (and probably do have) is very scary.

midas007 13y ago
No brainer: join to move the needle in a sensible direction.
- garrettgrimsley 13y ago
  That isn't how bureaucracies work. The parent can't join the NSA and hope to advance if they (openly) hold views fundamentally contrary to those of their superiors. I believe there is a notable and recent case of how this actually plays out. What was it? Towden? Mowden?
  - judk 13y ago
    Mr Bowden was amazingly successful at the work he did, actually. See also Schindler's List for an example of how a contractor of the enemy can undermine it.
    - garrettgrimsley 13y ago
      The impact that Rowden has had on the NSA has come from his actions outside of the NSA, not his work within it. I have not seen Schindler's List, but he also acted against and outside of the organization, rather than "move the needle," yes?
    - vacri 13y ago
      As amazing as Schindler's actions were, they ultimately had little effect on the overall scene, such was the scale of it. He fought the monster and survived, not fought the monster and brought it low. Schindler saved a thousand people through some pretty ballsy actions. But for scale, the battles of Stalingrad, Leningrad, and Moscow each had total casualty rates for both sides of 1-2 million people apiece.
      - lotsofcows 13y ago
        One man can only do his best. Every man that stood against fascism was still only one man. And yet they won. Also, there is some indication that Schindler sabotaged the bomb parts he made so he saved more people than is immediately obvious.
        lotsofcows 13y ago
        Downvote? Any clues why?
- dsuth 13y ago
  "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." -Nietzsche
- Tobu 13y ago
  Power at the NSA would be concentrated towards the most shameless bastards. It's not really within the power of random employees/contractors/grunts to fix. Snowden would be the example to follow here, but you really have to work outside the box.
- chippy 13y ago
  >sensible Sensible in that place means catching terrorists. It's easier to justify injustices if you can rationalise it by saying you are saving lives.
dredmorbius 13y ago
http://fixyt.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw http://fixyt.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw
chippy 13y ago
>really wanting to work for the NSA because they have the ability to do really awesome analysis like that with huge amounts of data How about wanting to help your country? I thought that's the main motivation behind for most people who join the NSA.
- Cakez0r 13y ago
  That worked out pretty well for Snowden...
JabavuAdams 13y ago
Yup. Unfortunately, I'm one of those foreign alien nobodies, so I can't. Also, most US-ians are totally cool with the NSA spying on me, just not on them. shrug
- MrZongle2 13y ago
  Playing Devil's Advocate: how do you feel about your country's intelligence services spying on Americans?
  - JabavuAdams 13y ago
    Love it.
morganherlocker 13y ago
The scene[1] in Good Will Hunting where Matt Damon tells the NSA to beat it is probably in line with how a lot of us feel. Interesting work, but the end result is too much to live with. [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw

midas007 13y ago

No brainer: join to move the needle in a sensible direction.

garrettgrimsley 13y ago
That isn't how bureaucracies work. The parent can't join the NSA and hope to advance if they (openly) hold views fundamentally contrary to those of their superiors. I believe there is a notable and recent case of how this actually plays out. What was it? Towden? Mowden?
- judk 13y ago
  Mr Bowden was amazingly successful at the work he did, actually. See also Schindler's List for an example of how a contractor of the enemy can undermine it.
  - garrettgrimsley 13y ago
    The impact that Rowden has had on the NSA has come from his actions outside of the NSA, not his work within it. I have not seen Schindler's List, but he also acted against and outside of the organization, rather than "move the needle," yes?
  - vacri 13y ago
    As amazing as Schindler's actions were, they ultimately had little effect on the overall scene, such was the scale of it. He fought the monster and survived, not fought the monster and brought it low. Schindler saved a thousand people through some pretty ballsy actions. But for scale, the battles of Stalingrad, Leningrad, and Moscow each had total casualty rates for both sides of 1-2 million people apiece.
    - lotsofcows 13y ago
      One man can only do his best. Every man that stood against fascism was still only one man. And yet they won. Also, there is some indication that Schindler sabotaged the bomb parts he made so he saved more people than is immediately obvious.
      - lotsofcows 13y ago
        Downvote? Any clues why?
dsuth 13y ago
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." -Nietzsche
Tobu 13y ago
Power at the NSA would be concentrated towards the most shameless bastards. It's not really within the power of random employees/contractors/grunts to fix. Snowden would be the example to follow here, but you really have to work outside the box.
chippy 13y ago
>sensible Sensible in that place means catching terrorists. It's easier to justify injustices if you can rationalise it by saying you are saving lives.

dredmorbius 13y ago

http://fixyt.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw http://fixyt.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw

chippy 13y ago

>really wanting to work for the NSA because they have the ability to do really awesome analysis like that with huge amounts of data How about wanting to help your country? I thought that's the main motivation behind for most people who join the NSA.

Cakez0r 13y ago
That worked out pretty well for Snowden...

JabavuAdams 13y ago

Yup. Unfortunately, I'm one of those foreign alien nobodies, so I can't. Also, most US-ians are totally cool with the NSA spying on me, just not on them. shrug

MrZongle2 13y ago
Playing Devil's Advocate: how do you feel about your country's intelligence services spying on Americans?
- JabavuAdams 13y ago
  Love it.

morganherlocker 13y ago

The scene[1] in Good Will Hunting where Matt Damon tells the NSA to beat it is probably in line with how a lot of us feel. Interesting work, but the end result is too much to live with. [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrOZllbNarw