Being a Smug Prick Online Doesn't Make You Superior

Post date: 23-Jul-2013 23:09:52

So, here's a new trend (well, not new exactly) that has been making my blood boil. Shortly after Edward Snowden leaked the NSA information regarding PRISM and the extent of the U.S. government's domestic spying activities became confirmed, more and more people started taking saying shit like, "this isn't new, idiots, this has been happening for a long time! We knew this all along!" While this position might be accurate, there's no need to be so Goddamn smug about it, either. If all these assholes knew what was going on for so long, why the fuck didn't they speak up? Why didn't they do anything at all? Because they didn't know, and they couldn't do anything. They're just taking the opportunity to make themselves sound superior to others who are actually communicating about this issue now. So, not only did they do nothing back when they just knew bad shit was happening, they are continuing to do nothing now except berate whoever is trying to expand awareness of these transgressions.

It's incredibly difficult to unite any number of people under any cause, but many people are trying to do just that by spreading what little information we actually have about the U.S. government's shady, and often illegal, activities. Pointing out that these activities aren't new adds nothing to the discussion. These people aren't making a clever point or helping the dialog, they're just assholes who want to feel important. So, ignore the smug internet pricks and keep spreading the word as far and as wide as possible. They didn't know anything before, and they likely don't know anything now. In time, hopefully they will either do something constructive, or just shut the hell up.