A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#21

Post by acqq » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 4:20 PM UTC

droopybuns wrote: post #8

The contrast of perspectives between Ellsburg's plea for the moral imperatives for leaking and Snowden's resistance to shaming those who don't leak was really interesting. It seems like Ellsburg had developed a real contempt for all of us in America until Manning and Snowden came along.

There was no Ellsburg there, but

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Ellsberg

A great guy, you should read about his life. Or even easier, watch "The Most Dangerous Man in America" documentary (cca 90 min).

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#22

Post by dreamweapon » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 4:45 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #20

dreamweapon wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah keep going, if it makes you feel good. The fun part about dealing with people who are attracted to catchy slogans and binaristic thought generally is that they tend to get really touchy when you call them on it. Which is what seems to be happening, here.

Complaining (or even mentioning) downvotes is usually a bad rhetorical strategy. Just ignore the votes altogether.

Excellent point.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#23

Post by dublinben » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 4:56 PM UTC

Does anyone find it slightly odd that Snowden was (quite obviously) joining the presentation over a Google hangout? I suppose it's better than a Skype call, but shouldn't he know better? I would expect him to insist on using Jitsi or something similar, like Jacob Appelbaum does for his appearances.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#24

Post by pinpoll » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 4:58 PM UTC

We asked our community if Edward is either a "Traitor or Hero" - a stunning 72.85 % think the latter :) https://pinpoll.net/poll/1804

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#25

Post by asgard1024 » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 5:05 PM UTC

dublinben wrote: post #23

Does anyone find it slightly odd that Snowden was (quite obviously) joining the presentation over a Google hangout? I suppose it's better than a Skype call, but shouldn't he know better? I would expect him to insist on using Jitsi or something similar, like Jacob Appelbaum does for his appearances.

He explained that once in an interview - basically, for public communication, there is no reason for him to care, so he uses whatever suits the other party the best.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#26

Post by dbrian » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 5:09 PM UTC

pinpoll wrote: post #24

We asked our community if Edward is either a "Traitor or Hero" - a stunning 72.85 % think the latter :) https://pinpoll.net/poll/1804

The two aren't mutually exclusive. He's kind of like Batman. He might operate outside of the law but he's a hero to the people and fights corruption in the system.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#27

Post by dreamweapon » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 5:15 PM UTC

eevilspock wrote: post #19

dreamweapon wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah keep going, if it makes you feel good. The fun part about dealing with people who are attracted to catchy slogans and binaristic thought generally is that they tend to get really touchy when you call them on it. Which is what seems to be happening, here.

"That's quite an oversimplification." is no less a catchy slogan, and labeling it "binaristic thought" is no less binary if that's all you write.

Sorry if it came across that way, but if so, it wasn't my intention.

It's just that I find it weirdly and sadly ironic that quite frequently, among those in our community who are the most strident and radicalized in their opposition to the surveillance state -- we find such incredibly simplistic and/or manipulative styles of thinking, and an impulsive tendency to resort to various forms of intellectual bullying... that are the standard tools of the systems that they fancy themselves to be in opposition against.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#28

Post by kbenson » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 5:20 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #20

dreamweapon wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah keep going, if it makes you feel good. The fun part about dealing with people who are attracted to catchy slogans and binaristic thought generally is that they tend to get really touchy when you call them on it. Which is what seems to be happening, here.

Complaining (or even mentioning) downvotes is usually a bad rhetorical strategy. Just ignore the votes altogether.

It's also, by it's nature, off-topic (unless it expounds on the reasoning), and therefore worthy of it's own downvotes for that reason alone. It's not all that different than real life, it's just harder to ignore the social cues when they are represented by a number.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#29

Post by k-mcgrady » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 5:31 PM UTC

I think the most interesting thing from this was his hint that he personally might be working on software built to maintain the users privacy. He also referred to SpiderOak (Dropbox competitor) and the "zero-knowledge" method.

Re: A Conversation with Edward Snowden at HOPE X [video]

#30

Post by sfk » Tue, Jul 22, 2014, 5:55 PM UTC

Create wrote: post #16

dreamweapon wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And your point is?

the kind of massive, pervasive, surveillance into which the Unites States government has led not only us but the world .

Many European states (e.g. the Netherlands) have been surveillance states for a long time. People seem happy with it: As long as you live a standard life, get a mortgage, a house, children, pay taxes to support the ever growing police state, nothing will happen to you.