Ignorance is Bliss. An idea that originally came from the english poet, Thomas Grey. This idea is something that Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, both practices and seeks to destroy.
By acting negligently Assange is, in turn, acting ignorantly by not acknowledging that he is putting those people left in the leaks in potential and immediate danger. As we all know, the majority of the leaks posted on the site are controversial in countries around the world. Some, so controversial that those affiliated could be targets of crime or assassination if the wrong people read the information.
As a journalist, it is Julian Assanges responsibility to practice good journalism and redact the names of those specific parties that the release of the leak will affect. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) have a code of ethics that thousands of writers embrace and uphold.
Within the code there is a specific section that deals with minimizing harm to those affected by the reports. It notes how a professional journalist should take caution when naming certain people in articles and stories and that is can have a great deal of harm or discomfort.
If Assange wants to be taken seriously as he claims he does, then should he not act and abide by the code of the professionals? In order to gain respect and credibility among his fellow journalists and peers Assange needs to embrace this code. If he takes nothing else away from it he should at least understand that, "Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance".
It is one thing for him to desire to reveal hidden truths and important news. It is another when he does it in spite of those for concealing it in the first place. Operating in this manner is similar to the manner of how a terrorist would operate. Operating strictly to do something that will give him power over others.
Since being arrested in early December for an incident involving a sex-crime in Sweden, Assange has been placed under house arrest to his country house in England. Since this occurrence, Julian Assange has nothing to gain from wikileaks, yet continues to operate it purely because of his beliefs that the truth must be told.
In the video interview on 60 minutes the Aussy is adamant that he operates purely off principle that the truth must be told. He uses the constant attacks on the organization as a way to defend its purpose and maintain victim status.
In all reality though, Assange could actually be operating this site for the fame and fortune it has brought him. Some argue that he still stays true to his original mission to inform the public at any cost. But if this were true, would he really have a picture of himself on the home page of the website starring you down as you log on?
The image is concrete evidence that he has become arrogant and no longer holds true to his values. The picture stares you in the face from the darkness giving you a condescending look and a message that he cannot be brought down. Even under house arrest.
Behind the walls of his British estate it came out that if any one tries to take down his operation, weather it be by imprisoning or killing assange he would release a "poison pill" that could be detrimental to everyone around the world.
This "pill" is a 1.4 gigabyte file that has a 256-bit encryption. Today a file is considered secure if it has a 56-bit encryption. Assange went overboard to make a statement that he has something the world will want to try to crack. But with such a tough code to crack by the time anyone could get close the file will have been released for hours.
Clearly Assange has become power hungry and does not want to be taken down from his throne. But he has fallen victim to himself and now wants to wreak havoc and take down any other organizations he can in the process.
Assange himself prides and credits himself with the uprising and overthrow of the governments in both Tunisia and Egypt. While this may not be bad, who is to say he will stop here. All this has does for him is fueled his ego and incited him to think even more of the power he has at hand. The reason for his power is simply that he has an unlimited number of resources that are able to provide him anonymously with top-secret government information. The genius behind that is in his unique format where these anonymous users can send him priceless information via an electronic drop box.
It is true that it's impossible for all news to bear only good results, but still there is a much better way to approach presenting it than Assange's method. His reporting has become cavalier and erroneous. Between that and his blatant disregard for the demands of leaders around the globe, he has over stepped his bounds.
At this point it seems clear that Assange knows he is at fault and doing wrong. Before being arrested his guilt could be seen by the way he evaded potential threats on a daily basis. In the interview with 60 Minutes he speaks of this lifestyle and how he can never be too careful of attackers. He would move locations with his computer every day with only his closest companions knowing how to contact him and where to find him next. There was another instance where he dressed up as an old woman for nearly two hours to evade the CIA.
There is really no good explanation for any of this. Although his practice is not technically illegal it is more certainly immoral, unethical, and in need of revision.
It is understandable to fight for what you believe in, but knowingly endangering lives when there is a perfectly good compromise is just unreasonable. Of course the whole operation in general is going to remain questionable to some but he would certainly increase his fan base if he would redact the names from all past and future documents.
This way he could protect those involved and be recognized as a journalist interested in spreading news. Not one fighting for power and superiority.
The scary thing is that the organization was founded just three short years ago. In that time he has gained an enormous amount of followers and grown to be quite powerful. If he continues at this rate who knows what this site could become.
It functions financially through the support of anonymous private donors. Spokesman at Wikileaks, Daniel Schmitt, says the organization needs to generate around $200,000 a year to cover its operating expenses. Since the site is still running it is clear it is at least breaking even but it is hard to know whether or not Assange is making income off this business endeavor.
Assange told a german blog that they make no revenue off the site. They also mention where the majority of the money to cover the operating expenses come from. But I, myself, still find it questionable that Assange can afford to cover his own living expenses strictly off the money he has in his savings from past business ventures.
There is a lot of conspiracy theories as to how the site operates and whether or not it does it in a correct fashion. Julian Assange now rules the journalism world with an iron fist.
His negligence, ignorance and arrogance are his three major downfalls and cause of his dangerous practice. Everyday he grows stronger and the fear grows higher that someday the "poison pill" may be released.
As he continues to fight those who support that "Ignorance is bliss" he become more and more ignorant himself, not realizing the harm he is causing.
"Practices and critiques"? But I'm intrigued at the contradiction.
ReplyDeleteGood first six paragraphs on the theme of redaction and journalist code. It flows very nicely. Maybe give an example of someone who has been endangered? Or admit that so far this danger is hypothetical but that still doesn't absolve him of guilt?
Lastly, consider how this links up with your thesis -- is that how he practices ignorance as bliss or seeks to destroy it? You're losing track of those key terms.
Watch out for fragments. You can use them if they really work rhythmically, but too often these seem like sloppy fragment sentences.
I like that you question his pure motivations and insinuate that it's only for fame and egotism. But I think you need more evidence than just the picture on the website. That could just be for fundraising purposes. Come up with three or four pieces of evidence and that will be far more convincing.
What is your point with the poison pill? I don't think it proves your claim that he is "power hungry."
I like the point that the information necessarily hurts someone -- but the real question is whether it is hurting the right people, whether it hurts those that deserve to be hurt. (the corrupt leaders, as he would put it).
Your Tunisia and Egypt points (good hyperlinking) doesn't really work. How can you really prove that this merely fueled his ego and power?
This paragraph makes strong claims without backing them up:
What is the better way of presenting that Assange's method? Tell us.
Give examples of cavalier and erroneous.
Some long stretches of text -- maybe have images break up the sections more?
This is a non-sequitor -- just because he is evading potential threats and is careful of attackers and dresses up as a woman does not lead us to conclude that "he is at fault and doing wrong." The one doesn't lead logically to the other. Can't innocent people ever be fleeing? This is the plot of every action movie.
I don't think Assange is getting rich, at least not off Wikileaks donations. But he cares much more about power and his mission than $.
Good to question the money, but you have to have an answer, not just disbelief and conjecture. Surely someone out there has written an article about Wikileaks and money.