Whistleblowers or Pirates?

Everyday brings new reports of whistleblowers receiving millions of dollars – even tens of millions of dollars – as a reward for being a whistleblower. This occurs primarily in healthcare, defense and financial services. It changes the equation from one in which the whistleblower risks their job to do the right thing to one in which the whistleblower risks their job in the hope of winning the lottery. The public image of the whistleblower has not caught up with this new reality in which the whistleblower is more of a pirate than a hero. The media have been particularly reluctant to give attention to this new, profit-seeking  whistleblower. It is time that our perceptions begin to fit the facts.