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An Italian artist wants to make the architects of the global police state famous:
You've heard of Edward Snowden. And the name Keith Alexander probably rings a bell. But what about James Comey? As head of the FBI, he pressed for a law that would require American smartphone companies to decrypt citizens' phones on request. Ever heard of Avril Haines? She was deputy director of the CIA when that agency was engaged in many of the activities Snowden exposed.
Italian artist Paolo Cirio has been stenciling "unauthorized" portraits of these folks, and six other high-ranking officials at three-letter agencies, on walls throughout cities around the world. This rogue's gallery of spooks and spies grin unwittingly from posters and murals in places more typically reserved for television stars and lingerie models.
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The resulting portraits look like pop silkscreens from the 1960s, an eye-candy aesthetic that belies their serious undertone. "These are portraits of high-ranking war generals, the Napoleons of today, somehow marking their historical role in attempting to build a dangerous cyber-empire," Cirio says. But beyond bringing these people out of the shadows, the artists wants them to know that, despite their job titles, they're as digitally vulnerable and overexposed as the rest of us.
The Japanese have a practice of shunning or ostracism called Mura-hachibu, whereby the whole village stops having anything to do with you. Could it work here?
Original Submission
(Score: 5, Insightful) by MrGuy on Thursday July 09 2015, @03:42PM
We're talking about people who are dyed-in-the-wool believers. They see themselves as Jack Bauer - bend every rule, break the ones you can get away with. Fight by any means necessary (and assume every possible means IS necessary).
Such people know they're not playing "fair" or "by the rules." They don't care. In fact, it's likely a point of pride - they see themselves as willing to get their hands dirty and make the tough decisions that other people can't or won't. You want them on that wall. You need them on that wall.
I'm sure there's no illusions that everyone would support their actions if they become publicly known, or that everything they did would be well received by everyone. There's no expectation of the thanks of a grateful nation.
But when you see yourself as the hero, as the last thin line of defense, you almost revel in that. Because it proves you're right - that other people don't have the "guts" to do what you did. If it weren't for you, the terrorists really WOULD have won! The fact that you're reviled by people actually reinforces how right you were to ignore the rules/laws/decency.
This will hardly disincentivize the next generation of law-breaking surveillance masters. It'll be a point of pride for them.
(Score: 2) by Ezber Bozmak on Thursday July 09 2015, @07:24PM
I'm sure there's no illusions that everyone would support their actions if they become publicly known, or that everything they did would be well received by everyone.
Complete agreement here. These guys were personafied by Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men." They are the ones who scream "You can't handle the truth!"