The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014) • Hacker News Board

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#31

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:17 AM UTC

JabavuAdams wrote: post #18

jenthoven wrote: post #2

When I was in college, I interviewed for an internship with the CIA. The 2012 interview was for a 2014 summer internship, and they told me I couldn’t smoke pot between now and then. Given how many talented coders I knew at Stanford who had smoked pot at least once in a year, that seemed insane to me. Instead, I went to work at Apple where people practically smoked in the office.

Given everything that we know the CIA does and has done, why did this seem like a respectable job to you? I assume you wouldn't work for organized crime. EDIT> There's a darker part of me that would enjoy working for an intelligence agency, but I acknowledge that it's not a better part of my nature. Even if you aren't doing the torturing, or assassination, you're directly aiding the organization that is.

[deleted]

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#32

Post by zzz157 » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:25 AM UTC

kjdsiheioahef wrote: post #16

Weed kills motivation, hopes and dreams, and limits potential. This is true, but not universally for everyone. Some people truly do function better stoned, even perpetually as many hackers apparently are. Numerous studies suggest clearly that long-term marijuana use reduces IQ. Perhaps in the future we'll have customized DNA-derived profiles that accurately tell whether someone is better doing no weed, lots of weed,…

>Numerous studies suggest clearly that long-term marijuana use reduces IQ.

https://www.leafly.com/news/health/marijuana-and-iq-studies

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#33

Post by drb91 » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:34 AM UTC

kjdsiheioahef wrote: post #16

Weed kills motivation, hopes and dreams, and limits potential. This is true, but not universally for everyone. Some people truly do function better stoned, even perpetually as many hackers apparently are. Numerous studies suggest clearly that long-term marijuana use reduces IQ. Perhaps in the future we'll have customized DNA-derived profiles that accurately tell whether someone is better doing no weed, lots of weed,…

This is such a tired argument when alcohol is legal, far more toxic of a substance, far more addictive, and it actively kills people daily. People can and should make decisions for themselves about what they put in their bodies.

It’s natural to balk at doing drugs. It’s harmful, however, to talk about weed without comparing it to harder substances, especially when it has been a prime reason for imprisoning people for decades. Even if weed is physiologically harmful at all, prohibition is socially a crippling disease.

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#34

Post by erikpukinskis » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:41 AM UTC

kerpal wrote: post #10

FBI is shooting itself in the foot with these sort of policies. I can understand not wanting to hire someone smoking weed on the way to an interview, but in your spare time? What about all the law enforcement staff who abuse alcohol? Alcohol's been proven to be a more dangerous substance but Congress and the scheduling system are still opposite of the data. They act like hiring those who occasionally partake in canna…

[deleted]

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#35

Post by qume » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:50 AM UTC

erikpukinskis wrote: post #34

kerpal wrote: post #10

FBI is shooting itself in the foot with these sort of policies. I can understand not wanting to hire someone smoking weed on the way to an interview, but in your spare time? What about all the law enforcement staff who abuse alcohol? Alcohol's been proven to be a more dangerous substance but Congress and the scheduling system are still opposite of the data. They act like hiring those who occasionally partake in canna…

[deleted]

Damn I want some of whatever you've been smoking.

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#36

Post by qume » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:53 AM UTC

kjdsiheioahef wrote: post #16

Weed kills motivation, hopes and dreams, and limits potential. This is true, but not universally for everyone. Some people truly do function better stoned, even perpetually as many hackers apparently are. Numerous studies suggest clearly that long-term marijuana use reduces IQ. Perhaps in the future we'll have customized DNA-derived profiles that accurately tell whether someone is better doing no weed, lots of weed,…

I know a lot of computer science folk who could do with trading a few IQ points (in plentiful supply) for some of the other more positive side effects it provides.

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#37

Post by jackconnor » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 3:06 AM UTC

sdca wrote: post #24

The so-called "cybersecurity experts" main task in the FBI is probably running forensics on narcotics traffickers' devices and data. Using illegal drugs would be a conflict of interest.

I'm not sure that I totally agree, but this is the first new interesting point I've heard on this subject since this article originally came out, well done.

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#38

Post by SamReidHughes » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 3:08 AM UTC

kerpal wrote: post #10

FBI is shooting itself in the foot with these sort of policies. I can understand not wanting to hire someone smoking weed on the way to an interview, but in your spare time? What about all the law enforcement staff who abuse alcohol? Alcohol's been proven to be a more dangerous substance but Congress and the scheduling system are still opposite of the data. They act like hiring those who occasionally partake in canna…

They have moral requirements. Pot is made by criminal enterprises and by purchasing it you're supporting them.

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#39

Post by toomanybeersies » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 3:15 AM UTC

kjdsiheioahef wrote: post #16

Weed kills motivation, hopes and dreams, and limits potential. This is true, but not universally for everyone. Some people truly do function better stoned, even perpetually as many hackers apparently are. Numerous studies suggest clearly that long-term marijuana use reduces IQ. Perhaps in the future we'll have customized DNA-derived profiles that accurately tell whether someone is better doing no weed, lots of weed,…

Anything that provides happiness can kill motivation, hopes, and dreams.

Whether it's weed, alcohol, harder drugs, gambling, or even video games like DoTA and WoW.

Obviously if someone is high at work, that's a problem. Same as someone being drunk, or playing games at work. But what we do in our own time is our own business.

Re: The FBI Says It Can't Find Hackers to Hire Because They All Smoke Pot (2014)

#40

Post by stryk » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 3:38 AM UTC

SamReidHughes wrote: post #38

kerpal wrote: post #10

FBI is shooting itself in the foot with these sort of policies. I can understand not wanting to hire someone smoking weed on the way to an interview, but in your spare time? What about all the law enforcement staff who abuse alcohol? Alcohol's been proven to be a more dangerous substance but Congress and the scheduling system are still opposite of the data. They act like hiring those who occasionally partake in canna…

They have moral requirements. Pot is made by criminal enterprises and by purchasing it you're supporting them.

So take it off the banned list. Legalize it. Take the power & profits away from the criminal element. Stop wasting money sending otherwise perfectly normal people to prison for years for having a god damn plant. The whole reason cannabis is on the list in the first place is because Harry J Anslinger was a racist prick.

Ain't nobody hurting you by smoking pot. How many people drink every day and kill innocent people in car crashes? Nobody is OD'ing on pot either, given that it's physically impossible. Nobody is out committing robberies to get money to buy pot. More people have been killed by Uber's robot cars than will ever be killed by smoking pot on their couch at home.