He's a whistleblower of historic importance. That Verizon FISA order alone has exposed deception at the highest levels of government. Proof that an Ars Technica reader can amount to something.
Cute. I'm sure he read Dilbert a few times too.
It takes quite an astonishing level of arrogance to suggest that being an "Ars Technica reader" was an important part of his identity, as that article did. Internet nerd makes a few comments on tech website, huge shock there.
It was tongue-in-cheek.