Webster's defines a whistleblower as "one who reveals something covert or who informs against another."

Doug, you're a fan of using words correctly. What is your view on what a whistleblower is?

Doug Casey: The connotations surrounding the term "whistleblower" depend largely on who's using it and the reason they're using it. Let's figure out the distinctions between a bunch of words that all mean the same thing—but have very different connotations.

In most contexts, a whistleblower is what school kids call a tattletale. Adults call them stoolpigeons, rats, finks, squealers, snitches, narcs, weasels, or the like. A whistleblower is not a good thing in normal society. Nobody likes an informer, even if they're well-intentioned.

"Whistleblower" is the only word in this context that might describe a good action. That's because, to be precise, a whistleblower is someone who makes the public aware of a serious impropriety in the government or a large corporation. It takes courage to call out the wrongdoing of large organizations, which tend to be run by sociopaths. They can, and often will, crush you like a bug. Legally and reputationally, if not physically.