The Conscience of a Hacker • Hacker News Board

Very well written and does a great job of stirring up emotions but when you really think about it, it doesn't say anything. Just that the author thinks he's smarter than everyone and that there's nothing wrong with hacking absolutely but never goes into what he means by "hack", "hacking", or "hacker".

I could see how it could strike a cord maybe 10+ years ago but today it feels hollow. The idea that all hackers are smarter than average, bored in school, and break into things (presumably - that's what I thought he meant) is something I don't agree with. This isn't the 90's anymore. Hackers nowadays are as much well rounded, often downright average individuals (sorry to burst all of our egos) as they are above average and the things he describes. That stereotype needs to die.

Re: The Conscience of a Hacker

#17

Post by riffraff » Fri, Jan 04, 2013, 3:50 PM UTC

stanonyime wrote: post #6

Sounds like Galt's speech in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged

Galt's speech is, from what I remember, a 20 pages long ultra-verbose pamphlet rather than a single page fast paced read like this.

But you are right that both read somewhat like "I am so much better than these other evil people who don't understand me". But many manifesto-like writings sound like that. Also lots of stuff written by teen agers/early twenties.