"But this isn't ABOUT Snowden!" Part 48,173...

[Blue_Tires]

‘Citizenfour’ Didn’t Want to Be a Star

Filmmaker Laura Poitras walked onto the stage of the Dolby Theatre and accepted the Oscar for best documentary. She was nervous, and her voice wavered as she thanked those who helped make Citizenfour—her portrait of famed whistleblower Edward Snowden...

...In the Oscar-winning film, Poitras chronicles the beginning of the Snowden saga. The film unfolds on computer screens, courts and hotel rooms.

Snowden—the CIA analyst turned whistleblower—is its focus. Which is exactly what he didn’t want....

...Snowden is a star—whether he wanted it or not—and he’s risen to the occasion. Now the documentary about the early days of his stardom has won an Oscar, and his celebrity is firmly established...

...The average American knows Snowden revealed that the U.S. government watches … well, everyone, but few realize exactly what he turned over to journalists or why.

Do any of us really understand how PRISM works? Do most people who recognize Snowden even know what PRISM is? Do they why he used Lavabit or why air-gapped computers are important?

I don’t think they will, because all that information Snowden dropped was technical, complicated and unsexy. A rogue analyst, breaking from the pack, stealing government secrets and turning them over to journalists … now that’s sexy.

So tomorrow, and for years after, Americans will argue about Snowden. Some will call him a hero, and some will say he’s a traitor. We’ll tweet about him, write about him and post pithy comments to Facebook...

...The whistleblower who didn’t want to be the story has become a counter-culture icon. The celebrity circus gobbled him up. At the same time, we’ll still allow various apps different permissions—giving Google, Verizon and others access to our current location and home address....

(more at the link...this is easily the most positive thing I've posted about Snowden, so read the whole thing before attacking):https://medium.com/war-is-boring/citizenfour-didn-t-want-to-be-a-star-85fa3db2b482



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I have to admit his faux humility has always amused me to no end...Books, movies (at least two more are in production), international stardom, magazine covers, exclusive high-profile interviews to the world media, skyping "testimony" to foreign governments, delivering speeches to audiences of every political/demographic flavor on an almost weekly basis (his speaking fees remains undisclosed), endorsing specific encryption technologies, personal mascot for dozens of political and quasi-political organizations, etc. etc...Yes, it's clear to see he has done his utmost to eschew the public spotlight...

[randys1]

1. I havent kept up, speaking fees for Snowden or GG?

Again, focusing on the personalities is a waste of time.

I can be a huge supporter of Obama and at the same time accept that what this guy exposed is bad news for all of us

[leveymg]

2. When you repost, please put it in excerpts so we know what you are cutting and pasting

and what, if any, original thinking and content you are adding, yourself.

Thank you.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

3. Ed Snowden owns your head.

And I do believe you were going to post some links in my thread proving that Glenn Greenwald was a liar. You even posted again in that dormant thread a couple of days back, offering to post the proof of those lies. I'm eagerly awaiting this information.

But Snowden? Yeah, he owns your thoughts.