I'm not surprised at this turn of events. It is a common accusation that Assange himself created wikileaks as a tool for self-aggrandizement. I think that's mostly just a smear calculated to discredit wikileaks - it is the other way around: without sufficient ego, Assange would not have preserved long enough to create wikileaks. But I don't think there is any question that an organization like wikileaks will attract people who are motivated purely by self-interest rather than idealogical goals - practically any organization attracts such people, even the non-controversial ones.
I was a little miffed to read that federal prosecutors fly on private jets, although if enough FBI agents were flying with them I suppose that could have been cheaper than a bunch of tickets on a regular airline.
>I'm not surprised at this turn of events. It is a common accusation that Assange himself created wikileaks as a tool for self-aggrandizement.
An accusation made by either government lackeys or idiots.
The character of the man has NO BEARING whatsoever to the work done by the organisation.
In the same way that "good Obama" was proven equal or worse to "bad Bush" -- it's the actual real world action that matters.
People have started rock bands because they love music and others because they would like to get laid much. In the end, it's the songs that decide their worth. And the "get laid" bunch has as much (if not more) good songs than the muso bunch.
This self-aggrandizement thing, that's ego, right?
If we invalidated organisations and achievement because people have big egos, then well, what exactly is left?
I mean, Apple invalidated because of Job's ego? All of the Americas Olympic achievements because of the egos of its athletes? Or even the whole of rap music. What about Tesla cars? Invalid too.
You are quite correct, the self-aggrandizement accusation is a smear, and amazingly selective in its use. I mean, isn't the whole of the US government a result of the sitting president's ego? Isn't a presidential run an act of self-aggrandizement?
I would agree that Assange has quite the ego. WikiLeaks does valuable work and their leader is an ass---both can be true. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
I was a little miffed to read that federal prosecutors fly on private jets, although if enough FBI agents were flying with them I suppose that could have been cheaper than a bunch of tickets on a regular airline.