morlockelloi on Mon, 17 Aug 2015 00:04:29 +0200 (CEST)


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<nettime> ***SPAM*** Re: gentrification of hacking


There is one attribute of the 'hacking' meme that is being systematically ignored.

Technology is complex. High tech is extremely complex. Prodigies notwithstanding, it takes many years of expensive education and training (say, 10-15) to get meaningful insights into the technology, which can then translate into meaningful and efficient interventions. During this process one usually gets co-opted to the point where meaningful interventions are the last thing they will engage in.

Folksy 'hacking' doesn't get anywhere near to this. It's more a warm/fuzzy social activity with efficiency of a cargo cult. The simple truth is that if you don't have money for the mentioned education/training, your output is usually irrelevant. And no, most hackers are not prodigies.

Unfortunately, the 'community' propagates the idea that it only takes will to intervene, reducing interventions to the popular stereotype activities ('look ma, no hands'), which effectively seals off the real infrastructure and makes it impenetrable.

This comes back to the class issue, of course.


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