Thread: Edward Snowden and his stay in Russia

Idealists like Snowden, as history shows, are the most dangerous ones. They do the most damage. Him inside the NSA's secrets reminds me of this:


P.S. Was there anything you didn't know or suspected about in what Snowden's published? All he did was showing everyone the underwear of his government. The government that paid him his salary.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Idealists like Snowden, as history shows, are the most dangerous ones. They do the most damage.

I agree. The fact that he's a traitor does not bother me too much, but the butterfly effect of his actions is unpredictable mostly because his actions could serve example to some other even less careful individuals out there. As to the 'revellations', no they don't impress me much. Perhaps the US were able to acheive more since they were able to spend more, but that about it, I guess..

Originally Posted by Ramil

Idealists like Snowden, as history shows, are the most dangerous ones. They do the most damage. Him inside the NSA's secrets reminds me of this:

P.S. Was there anything you didn't know or suspected about in what Snowden's published? All he did was showing everyone the underwear of his government. The government that paid him his salary.

Yes you might have GUESSED some of it, and so did I of course. There were some signs, and it made logical sense that it would be happening.

But even as an IT professional, and rather paranoid one at that, I could never have guessed the scope of this.
I don't believe you guys when you said there was nothing new. You couldn't have known all that!

Unless you also reveal that you work for the Russian intelligence service, they knew it, of course!

Originally Posted by Hanna

He couldn't live with his conscience and took action. I think he's brave!

Bravery often comes together with stupidity. This is the case.

Originally Posted by Hanna

If it was discovered that Russia had some evil plans or activities against its own citizens, or the world, I would applaud anyone who disclosed it. I doubt they've got anything that evil though.

Right now, at this very moment, the Russian government is probably doing one or even several disgusting things all governments do. Disclosure won't make them stop.

Originally Posted by Hanna

Snowden did the decent and moral thing. I don't care if that technically makes him a traitor.

I would agree if we could agree upon what's 'moral' and what's 'immoral'. You're applying your ethics and morality to everyone around you falsely assuming that these things are universally accepted.

Originally Posted by Hanna

It is MORALLY WRONG to follow the orders of a corrupt and invalid state.

That word again. What if I told you that this corrupt and invalid state saves millions of lives every day by its mere existance? It may be corrupt and invalid, but it herds 300 million idiots trying very hard to keep them relatively safe and well-fed. Discrupting this state won't make people happy. I saw the fall of USSR. There was no happiness.

Originally Posted by Hanna

An example which is a bit dubious, but applies: ... But in united Germany they were prosecuted and sentenced to prison...I never heard anyone complain that the trials against these people were wrong.

That only proves that since 1945 there was no original thought in Western Europe. Everyone thought what's moral and what's not in accordance to what the media had been telling them. To throw your life away by not shooting an idiot who decided to jump a fence - great choice!

Originally Posted by Hanna

As for what you said about states:[/B] States are good if they are not fascist and not oppressive, imo....

State is a form of formalized monopoly for violence. How can it be unopressive?

Originally Posted by Hanna

I could never have guessed the scope of this. I don't believe you guys when you said there was nothing new. You couldn't have known all that!

Actually, I think that Snowden didn't cover a tenth part of what's really going on. I'm afraid that he simply had no access to the most disgusting secrets of the US. Fortunately.