Julian Assange AMA on Reddit • Hacker News Board

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#31

Post by hoggle » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:10 PM UTC

pionar wrote: post #23

Am I the only one that finds Assange to be just an absolute self-centered ass? He's trying to turn himself into a cult leader, and runs his own "justice" site[0]. He's manipulative and just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. [0] - http://freeassangenow.org/

Couldn't you say the same about many eccentric and charismatic politicians?

I favour a stateless politician who truly understands the Internet over most of the others.

Edit - interesting article on sociopaths in politics:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/07/the-startl...

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#32

Post by dman » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:14 PM UTC

pionar wrote: post #27

TallGuyShort wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He comes off that way to me as well, but I still really support some of the initiatives he's worked towards. To a lesser extent, I find RMS to have similar traits. Some of his statements carry quite the air of arrogance and self-importance, but I think he's done enough for caused that I really believe in that I'll always listen to what he has to say regardless of personality.

Don't get me wrong, I support some of the initiatives as well, I just wish those initiatives had a less self-interested leader.

People who are less self interested do saner things with their life than take up idealistic causes.

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#33

Post by defg » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:15 PM UTC

foobarqux wrote: post #29

pionar wrote: post #23

Am I the only one that finds Assange to be just an absolute self-centered ass? He's trying to turn himself into a cult leader, and runs his own "justice" site[0]. He's manipulative and just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. [0] - http://freeassangenow.org/

Can you substantiate any of that with evidence?

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v36/n05/andrew-ohagan/ghosting

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#34

Post by MisterWebz » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:17 PM UTC

pionar wrote: post #23

Am I the only one that finds Assange to be just an absolute self-centered ass? He's trying to turn himself into a cult leader, and runs his own "justice" site[0]. He's manipulative and just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. [0] - http://freeassangenow.org/

He doesn't want to live in the Ecuadorian embassy for the rest of his life and calls for help. How incredibly selfish of him.

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#35

Post by pionar » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:30 PM UTC

foobarqux wrote: post #29

pionar wrote: post #23

Am I the only one that finds Assange to be just an absolute self-centered ass? He's trying to turn himself into a cult leader, and runs his own "justice" site[0]. He's manipulative and just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. [0] - http://freeassangenow.org/

Can you substantiate any of that with evidence?

Substantiate what? My personal feelings? I don't think that one can provide evidence for one's "feel" of a person.

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#36

Post by foobarqux » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:34 PM UTC

pionar wrote: post #35

foobarqux wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you substantiate any of that with evidence?

Substantiate what? My personal feelings? I don't think that one can provide evidence for one's "feel" of a person.

The specific charges. If you don't like him you should have just said that. Do you call everyone you don't like a "self-centered cult-leader"?

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#37

Post by vijayr » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:37 PM UTC

hoggle wrote: post #31

pionar wrote: post #23

Am I the only one that finds Assange to be just an absolute self-centered ass? He's trying to turn himself into a cult leader, and runs his own "justice" site[0]. He's manipulative and just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. [0] - http://freeassangenow.org/

Couldn't you say the same about many eccentric and charismatic politicians? I favour a stateless politician who truly understands the Internet over most of the others. Edit - interesting article on sociopaths in politics: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/07/the-startl...

we could say the same thing about sports (Michael Jordan etc), film stars etc - pretty much every field has it's share of such people.

Regardless of their arrogance, we need such people to move things forward.

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#38

Post by pionar » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:42 PM UTC

MisterWebz wrote: post #34

pionar wrote: post #23

Am I the only one that finds Assange to be just an absolute self-centered ass? He's trying to turn himself into a cult leader, and runs his own "justice" site[0]. He's manipulative and just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. [0] - http://freeassangenow.org/

He doesn't want to live in the Ecuadorian embassy for the rest of his life and calls for help. How incredibly selfish of him.

He would get more sympathy by publicly facing the accusations, not hiding out from everyone.

Saying on his site that Sweden is "effectively detaining him without charging him with a crime" when Sweden isn't detaining him anywhere (he's holed himself up in an embassy in London) is the type of misleading nonsense that rubs me the wrong way.

Also claiming that the UK isn't honoring his political asylum granted by another country for purposes other than why he's hiding out (the political asylum was to prevent him from becoming a political prisoner in the US and facing what he calls a "credible risk of torture, inhumane treatment, and unfair trial" here) is also misleading.

He seems to relish in martyrdom.

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#39

Post by aikah » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:43 PM UTC

4lph4_D4wg wrote: post #8

Reddit is an awful place full of awful rules and awful people and plenty of censorship and manipulation of topics and comments , manipulated by real people and also bots they have created to monitor conversations. They shadow ban topics and comments to create an illusion of fair conversation. They have the collective ego of being relevant but are nowhere near the level of facebook or twitter or instagram. Or even Yah…

Reddit is like the world,there is the best and the worst.There are awesome subs like there are stupid/porn/horrible/hatefull subs.You only get what you seek on reddit.

Re: Julian Assange AMA on Reddit

#40

Post by pionar » Thu, Jun 19, 2014, 3:45 PM UTC

foobarqux wrote: post #36

pionar wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Substantiate what? My personal feelings? I don't think that one can provide evidence for one's "feel" of a person.

The specific charges. If you don't like him you should have just said that. Do you call everyone you don't like a "self-centered cult-leader"?

I said he's attempting to be one. My rationale for that is his statements that make him seem to be basking in martyrdom. See my comments above in reply to another comment.

I call people I feel to be self-centered self-centered. I call people who try to convince other people that they're an innocent messenger for truth while demonizing anyone who says anything bad about them a wannabe cult leader.