Original Text
Another one got caught today, it's all over the papers. "Teenager Arrested in Computer Crime Scandal", "Hacker Arrested after Bank Tampering"...Damn kids. They're all alike.
But did you, in your three-piece psychology and 1950's technobrain, ever take a look behind the eyes of the hacker? Did you ever wonder what made him tick, what forces shaped him, what may have molded him?. I am a hacker, enter my world...
Mine is a world that begins with school... I'm smarter than most of the other kids, this crap they teach us bores me..
Damn underachiever. They're all alike.
I'm in junior high or high school. I've listened to teachers explain for the fifteenth time how to reduce a fraction. I understand it. "No, Ms. Smith, I didn't show my work. I did it in my head..."
Damn kid. Probably copied it. They're all alike.
I made a discovery today. I found a computer. Wait a second, this is cool. It does what I want it to. If it makes a mistake, it's because I screwed it up. Not because it doesn't like me...
Or feels threatened by me...
Or thinks I'm a smart ass...
Or doesn't like teaching and shouldn't be here...
Damn kid. All he does is play games. They're all alike.
And then it happened... a door opened to a world... rushing through the phone line like heroin through an addict's veins, an electronic pulse is sent out, a refuge from the day-to-day incompetencies is sought... a board is found.
"This is it... this is where I belong..."
I know everyone here... even if I've never met them, never talked to them, may never hear from them again... I know you all...
Damn kid. Tying up the phone line again. They're all alike...
You bet your ass we're all alike... we've been spoon-fed baby food at school when we hungered for steak... the bits of meat that you did let slip through were pre-chewed and tasteless. We've been dominated by sadists, or ignored by the apathetic. The few that had something to teach found us willing pupils, but those few are like drops of water in the desert.
This is our world now... the world of the electron and the switch, the beauty of the baud. We make use of a service already existing without paying for what could be dirt-cheap if it wasn't run by profiteering gluttons, and you call us criminals. We explore... and you call us criminals. We seek after knowledge... and you call us criminals. We exist without skin color, without nationality, without religious bias... and you call us criminals. You build atomic bombs, you wage wars, you murder, cheat, and lie to us and try to make us believe it's for our own good, yet we're the criminals.
Yes, I am a criminal. My crime is that of curiosity. My crime is that of judging people by what they say and think, not what they look like. My crime is that of outsmarting you, something that you will never forgive me for.
I am a hacker, and this is my manifesto. You may stop this individual, but you can't stop us all... after all, we're all alike.
+++The Mentor+++
The Hacker's Manifesto is a seminal essay written by an anonymous hacker known by the pseudonym The Mentor. It was first published in 1986 on the early underground bulletin board systems (BBS), capturing the mindset and ethos of hackers during the early days of computer culture. The manifesto remains a foundational text in hacker communities and has influenced generations of tech enthusiasts, activists, and cybersecurity experts.
Background
The Hacker's Manifesto was penned at a time when the concept of "hacking" was still often misunderstood by the mainstream, often equating hackers with criminals or outlaws. The manifesto seeks to define hackers in a different light, emphasizing the difference between "hackers" and "crackers", as well as outlining the motivations behind their activities. The essay defends the hacker's pursuit of knowledge, the challenge of problem-solving, and the freedom of information.
The manifesto emerged during the rise of personal computing and the growing accessibility of early networks like BBS, marking the beginning of the digital revolution that would give birth to the internet and the hacker subculture. It has been considered a rallying cry for digital freedom, anti-authoritarianism, and intellectual exploration.
Key Themes
The Hacker Ethos: The manifesto emphasizes that hackers do not engage in illegal activities for malicious purposes or personal gain. Instead, hacking is presented as an intellectual pursuit—an attempt to understand and manipulate technology for curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge.
Freedom of Information: The manifesto advocates for the free flow of information, arguing that restricting access to knowledge is a form of control and oppression. This idea ties into broader themes of anti-censorship and opposition to corporate monopolies on information.
Rebellion Against Authority: The manifesto frames hacking as a form of rebellion against traditional societal structures, especially corporations and governments that control access to technology and information. Hackers, according to The Mentor, are seen as individuals who challenge the established norms and offer alternative ways of interacting with technology.
The Hacker as Outsider: The essay describes hackers as societal outsiders—individuals who are often misunderstood or criminalized, even though their actions are not necessarily harmful. The manifesto emphasizes hackers' role as innovators and nonconformists.
Notable Quotes
"We explore... and you call us criminals. We seek after knowledge... and you call us criminals. We exist without skin color, without nationality, without religious bias... and you call us criminals."
This quote encapsulates the manifesto’s defense of hackers as individuals pursuing knowledge for the sake of exploration and curiosity, not for nefarious reasons."This is our world now... the world of the electron and the switch, the beauty of the baud."
The Mentor here celebrates the digital world, symbolized by the "baud" rate of communication over early modems, as a new frontier for hackers to explore and conquer.Impact and Legacy
The Hacker's Manifesto has had a lasting influence on hacker culture, helping to shape the community’s self-identity and core values. The essay's emphasis on intellectual freedom and anti-authoritarianism has resonated with tech-savvy individuals who see the digital world as a space for radical creativity and open collaboration.
The manifesto is often referenced by modern hackers, activists, and proponents of digital rights as a foundational document in the ongoing struggle for net neutrality, privacy, and freedom of speech online. Its themes of rebellion against authority and the free exchange of information continue to echo in discussions around digital sovereignty, encryption, and censorship resistance.
Conclusion
The Hacker's Manifesto remains one of the most influential documents in the history of hacking. It laid the groundwork for the modern digital subculture, fostering a sense of camaraderie among hackers who share a passion for problem-solving, freedom of information, and pushing the boundaries of technology. Despite its controversial reputation, the manifesto’s call for intellectual exploration and its challenge to corporate control of information still resonate today, making it a vital historical document in the ongoing fight for digital rights and freedom.
