Re:Whistleblowers are not traitors
by dllthomas on Tuesday June 18, 2013 @11:28AM
(#5899799)
"If we gave away all of our secrets, we wouldn't have an advantage over our country's enemies."
I am not sure that's the case. If we credibly give away all our secrets then we have the advantage that we are viewed as trustworthy - popular support can mean a lot. Sort of like the theory that we developed a moral intuition because being a "good person" is sometimes the most effective way of convincing people you're a "good person".
Whether this advantage could actually be realized, and whether its magnitude is actually greater than that realized by keeping secrets, and whether the difference is important and worth the other costs, are all very much up for debate though.
I am not sure that's the case. If we credibly give away all our secrets then we have the advantage that we are viewed as trustworthy - popular support can mean a lot. Sort of like the theory that we developed a moral intuition because being a "good person" is sometimes the most effective way of convincing people you're a "good person".
Whether this advantage could actually be realized, and whether its magnitude is actually greater than that realized by keeping secrets, and whether the difference is important and worth the other costs, are all very much up for debate though.