[jwallaceparker]

>> Ethics aside, it's also bad strategy, and just won't work. If you're obligated to give up your car before writing about global warming, or obligated to become a vegan before writing about animal cruelty, or obligated to take monastic vows before writing about conflict in domestic relationships -- then you'll probably never write about any of these issues. And that won't help anybody, will it?

I find Moglen's absolutist point of view on this issue refreshing.

You're not obligated to give up your car or go vegan to write about certain issues, but you're a hypocrite if you don't acknowledge your own contribution to a problem.

Two examples:

Al Gore did a great job spreading the word about global warming, but he still has a larger carbon footprint than most Americans (it's well-documented).

Jonathan Safran Foer became vegan when he researched and wrote his book "Eating Animals" about animal cruelty.

We need more people like Foer, do we not?

[mfringel]

I find that point to be orthogonal.

That's like saying that everyone at Occupy Wall Street had forswear all material goods in order to be considered "valid" protesters.

Discarding someone's argument due to a lack of complete purity is just plain facile.

[jwallaceparker]

>> That's like saying that everyone at Occupy Wall Street had forswear all material goods in order to be considered "valid" protesters.

No, it isn't.

Occupy Wall Street isn't about giving up all material goods. A better analogy is a OWS protester who is a manager at one of the banks that got bailed out.

>> Discarding someone's argument due to a lack of complete purity is just plain facile.

I never said the arguments should be discarded. I acknowledged that Al Gore did a good job spreading the word about global warming.

I'm just saying it's refreshing when someone actually stands behind their argument by making a personal change or sacrifice.

[icebraining]

So what if he is an hypocrite? Since when do we expect journalists to be virtuous? They're simply reporting the facts. Their life is completely irrelevant.

Jonathan Safran Foer became vegan when he researched and wrote his book "Eating Animals" about animal cruelty.

We need more people like Foer, do we not?

Sure, people doing what they preach is great, if you choose a value we agree with. But I'm sure you'd prefer if Breivik had been an hypocrite and not done what he believed to be right.