Justice, Fear, and the Whistleblower’s Dilemma

Being a whistleblower is nothing short of amazing and a noble act towards humanity, because when you despise the likely consequences of what may follow your decision to be a whistleblower, you're directly having a positive impact on life and our world as a whole. Why? Because doing that could not only save properties but also lives and several other things that could have gone south. However, despite how noble it seems, we can't forget the dangers that spy in the corner awaiting those who act as a whistleblower, especially if things don't go as planned, and for that reason below I'll be stating my take on if I'll gladly work as a whistleblower or not.

To start with, we must first understand who a whistleblower is and what they do. So who then is a whistleblower? In my opinion, I believe a whistleblower is an individual who notices a misdeed going on around them and promptly acts by calling the authorities, such as the police, to come and save the day. Be it that it's a robbery we witnessed, murder, or even a fight, the swift action we take can greatly help and save both lives and properties. Even though doing this can save lives, we all know it can be really dangerous, especially when the perpetrators you reported find out you're behind them getting exposed and that it can lead to them hurting you or even your loved ones or property.

So with that understanding, will I then be willing to be a whistleblower? Knowing fully well all the risks involved in being one. To be honest, I would have given a simple yes as an answer, knowing fully well that me being a whistleblower is more or less like a service to humanity, but if I consider some things before making my decision, then a yes won't be so easy to say. So in light of that, I'd like to say that my response to the question of to be or not to be a whistleblower will depend on some circumstances surrounding the nation I find myself in. So without further ado, let's get to both.

I'll happily say yes to being a whistleblower in certain cases if I live or I'm in a community with strong security forces, not one that's filled with corrupt officers or incompetent officers who won't handle the case properly or hide the identity of those who have given them valid information that could save lives. On the other hand, I won't be willing to be a whistleblower if I live or stay in a country like mine that's plagued with all manners of misdeeds. I know the person I rat on could come out the next day due to his or her deal with the officers in charge, and before I know it, I might lose my life and properties all in the name of me trying to help and wash our community of wrongdoings.

But then, talking about how to know if a whistleblower is saying the right thing or just lying with the intention of tarnishing someone else's information. I think it's just difficult to know if information is legit until the police go and verify. What police can just do is still go and verify, and if they notice a particular individual is prone to giving fake information, then such a person can be invited or punished to know the consequences of their actions. Doing that will make people desist from giving false information to the police, which will reduce the chances of police wasting time and resources going to a location that's wrongly given by a fake whistleblower.

All photos are mine.