Why I Don't Support "Anonymous"
Jan. 28th, 2008 01:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quasigeostrophy(Disclaimer: These opinions were formed upon my initial encounter with the viral "Anonymous" videos yesterday morning, before personal issues struck very close to home as a result of differences of opinion elsewhere.)
1. Behaving in the same manner as one's intended target doesn't differentiate one from that target. Group A hates group B for doing X. So, in order to stop B, A does X to B. Who is the more "evil"?
2. Who gets to define "evil"? No one in history we define today as such ever thought of themselves as such. Hitler believed he was right. So did thousands of others who supported him. Same for the Borgias. Or Genghis Khan. The list goes on. And the definition constantly evolves.
3. Lack of responsibility is already rampant today. Anyone could go join some group similar to "Anonymous" and institute a DDoS against whomever the Target du Jour is and never be held accountable. It's like playing Illuminati with all the cards face down.
4. Freedom of speech is not a matter of convenience. This probably should tie in with #2, but just because group A spouts some theocratic or other message group B doesn't like, group B should just try to get their message out as well or better. The right to free speech doesn't equate to the right to be heard, either, but that doesn't mean group B has the right to prevent group A's message from being delivered.
ETA: 5. Life is not a science fiction story.
1. Behaving in the same manner as one's intended target doesn't differentiate one from that target. Group A hates group B for doing X. So, in order to stop B, A does X to B. Who is the more "evil"?
2. Who gets to define "evil"? No one in history we define today as such ever thought of themselves as such. Hitler believed he was right. So did thousands of others who supported him. Same for the Borgias. Or Genghis Khan. The list goes on. And the definition constantly evolves.
3. Lack of responsibility is already rampant today. Anyone could go join some group similar to "Anonymous" and institute a DDoS against whomever the Target du Jour is and never be held accountable. It's like playing Illuminati with all the cards face down.
4. Freedom of speech is not a matter of convenience. This probably should tie in with #2, but just because group A spouts some theocratic or other message group B doesn't like, group B should just try to get their message out as well or better. The right to free speech doesn't equate to the right to be heard, either, but that doesn't mean group B has the right to prevent group A's message from being delivered.
ETA: 5. Life is not a science fiction story.
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no subject
Date: 2008-01-28 07:52 pm (UTC)The Scientologists can be quite aggressive. In California I once had one come to my door and refused to leave until the nice policeman suggested that no, my shutting the door in his face really did indicate I didn't want to talk with him.
And the last time I saw them at a table on the Pearl St Mall one called out to me and asked if I wanted to take a free personality test. He did leave me alone after I asked to see the peer reviewed, double blind study that proved his E-Meter measured anything useful.