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Comment by chongli | Hacker News Reader

If you're talking about the media, what did you expect? The mainstream media is just a mouthpiece for the government at this point.

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I know that's a popular thing to say, but the mainstream media broke the story. In what way are they a government mouthpiece?

You're right, it is a sweeping generalization. It'd be better to say that most of the mainstream media serves as the government mouthpiece. A few key outlets continue to serve the vital role of breaking important stories such as this one.

In what way...

When they regurgitate the content of a government press release or briefing without challenging both its basic premises and noteworthy claims, which they all do every single day, many times a day, the popular news media perfectly inhabits the role of "government mouthpiece". This includes the many instances of on-the-one-hand-on-the-other press-release ping-pong between the two allegedly opposed narratives provided by our two allegedly opposed political parties.

The media didn't break anything. Snowden gave them the story, which they have mostly ignored in favor of hit pieces against him as a traitor and a coward.

Perhaps you need to look up the definition of "breaking a story":

"to be the first to broadcast or distribute the story of an event."[1]

Snowden provided the information, the media absolutely broke the story.

[1] http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/break+a+story

Unfortunately I believe @northernmonkey and all OP's are talking about the "average American" and maybe the "average human". After all, in the US anyway, aren't we-the-people the government? That would make the MSM a mouthpiece for... the average American. I believe that is more or less true as sad as it is.

Aware and concerned tech-heads are trying to protect a drunken fool (the public) from a hungry bear (whoever it is that actually runs the intelligence networks). Either one is dangerous enough on its own, trying to save one from the other is like trying to settle a domestic dispute... not sure it can happen.

I don't have an answer, just an analysis.

> Aware and concerned tech-heads are trying to protect a drunken fool (the public) from a hungry bear (whoever it is that actually runs the intelligence networks).

What self-important, self-aggrandizing bullshit.

Your comment leaves much to be desired.

And an attitude of comparing the public to drunken fools doesn't?

Not the point. Idiots will be idiots. It's better to hold yourself to a higher standard.

There is something to be desired about an attitude that conflates people having different values and priorities with their being "idiots."

Sorry, I miscommunicated. I was saying that the person you responded to was being an idiot by calling the general public drunken fools (true or not) and that it's a bad thing to lower to that level of discourse by retaliating in such a content-free manner because you won't change anybody's mind that way. I.e. your position is good, but it's only through expressing ourselves well that we can have an influence on others.

Of course if it was just to feel good about calling out idiocy then it's not necessary to put in much effort countering it.

Just so you both know, from the outside, you both appear to be on the same page on the decorum issues here.

heh... missed this rabbit trail. Forgive me for the offense. s/Drunken fool/uncaringly ignorant/. @all, Thanks for the correction whether harsh or gentle, I don't mind. If its called for, tone is less relevant.

Or is it the other way around? I honestly don't know anymore.

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