It's safe to assume that most of us accepted that the mass surveillance programs existed. This doesn't diminish the importance of what Snowden did.
It was more of an emperor-has-no-clothes moment than some unexpected, shocking revelation. It forced a lot of people to stop avoiding the problem and to actually start talking about it openly.
I think Snowden has lots of courage for doing what he did, specially since it is the type of revelation that may cost him his life.
I have been downvoted already on the parent post, but coming from an European country that experienced dictatorship for 41 years, I have a tendency to not believe in politicians.
Many fellow Europeans had to endure similar governments in the last century.
So how could in the land of free, citizens expect it would be any different?!
However tries to change the system, either becomes one of them or ends up being forced to leave with consequences from not playing with the rest of the gang.
It was more of an emperor-has-no-clothes moment than some unexpected, shocking revelation. It forced a lot of people to stop avoiding the problem and to actually start talking about it openly.