The Wire was created by a journalist with deep first-hand knowledge of the subject matter. It's a work of fiction, but nonetheless contains many nuggets of truth.
The show dramatized and moralized specific subjects, such as burners, for the sake of creating a narrative. Further, it's details built on anecdote. Which is why it's such a great show, but it's not appropriate fodder for discussing politics and technology unless you're a clown like Falkvinge.
