Wikileaks

With Julian Assange's arrest this morning, I though it would be appropriate to talk about Wikileaks. Since its creation, it has caused an uproar among world governments and important individuals. While representing different ends of the political and alliance spectrum, their common denominator is that they all revile the site and its purpose. Politicians hate it, yet the common people love it. Why? First, we must analyze Assange's motive for releasing hundreds of thousands of unreleased material. While most of the material is relatively unimportant, the remainder is very sensitive and potentially embarrassing. Politics is often conducted behind closed doors, public and private conversation being much different. The point of contention occurs when we realize that most important decisions are made behind closed doors. The public ends up only seeing what we are meant to see. With this highly secretive method of communication, nations have created an international cocktail that remains mostly stable. However, if private conversations were to become public, many fear that it would destabilize an arrangement that does not respond well to disturbance. As such, past communications would poison present arrangements and spoil the change of any future ones. Is this desirable? Certainly not, and I believe that Assange agrees. Personally, I believe that Assange desires for the world to have as few secrets between us as possible. Globalization at its peak. A world community created by the forceful eradication of technical boundaries.

However, present politicians are reacting the most violently to Assange's vision. They fear that a leaked document will embarrass them. Indeed, the fear is justified. Among private citizens, this fear does not exist. Following decades of distrust of government, the hope of finding government accountable to a higher degree than before is enticing, as well as learning the information they have long "concealed for our protection." Perhaps certain documents are troubling, but it is noble for citizens to take such an interest in politics.

It is also moral. Secrecy does indeed jeopardize long-term resolution, as no foundation can be built on air. On the reverse, some worry that the leaked information could include documents that would inform our enemies of strategic and crippling locations, which they could bomb in an attack. This too is a justified concern. Judging Assange's belief in a technologically frank world, I doubt he is able to differentiate between which documents should be withheld. This remains, in my opinion, the largest negative aspect of wikileaks. However, I am comforted in knowing that our intelligence agencies are advanced and trained to an extend of ensuring our safety. I doubt that this fear will materialize.

There are many noble aspects of Wikileaks, but several damaging ones. The difference is significant in that the advantages are theoretical, but the disadvantages are factual. Perhaps Wikileaks will gain greater endorsement in the future, but for the moment, it remains a topic too controversial for its own good.