On Anonymous

Watching Anonymous move from its roots at 4chan to force of anti-corruption activists has been an intriguing transformation, starting with their opposition to the Church of Scientology from antagonistic group of loosely associated /b/tards to a loosely organized collective of activists and an empowering concept of anybody being able to stand up to powers greater than the individual. Given the nature of the group, lacking leaders and formal orders, stating definite goals is not such an easy thing to do. Their methods are using hacking to obtain information outing subterfuge and abuse of power and disrupting their services, selfishly restricting innovation and exchange of information in the name of protection, such as the legislative control given to the MPAA. Anti-censorship activity and generating discussion via their bravado make for major real world changes from a collective with no given directive. Their targets, being authorities who engage in conspiracy and oppression, from the cutting of cellular service at BART station to more readily abuse protesters to the hiding of kidnapping and gang rape in Steubenville, is that the voiceless, the man who set himself ablaze in Tunisia and the 99%, can affect the greater world around them precisely by being nobodies. The lack of a definite identity allows one to freely speak their mind against corruption without the threat of retribution, as well as the ability to more freely organize for protests and other actions.