8/27/2017 0 Comments Reading 01: Defining "Hacker"From the readings and from your experience, what exactly is a hacker? That is, what are the key characteristics of the hacker archetype?
Honestly, it seems to be the case that there isn’t an “exact” definition of what a hacker is. Each of the provided readings include different focuses on what a “hacker” may be composed of. One of the readings goes as far as to cover everything between common dress, religion, and the sexual habits of the modern hacker. Another seems content to focus on a hacker’s interest in working obliquely. Mark Zuckerberg states that “hacking just means building something quickly or testing the boundaries of what can be done”, contrary to the popular notion of a hacker that has more negative connotations. To try and arrive at a better understanding of what a hacker may be, we may wish to try and draw some parallels across the breadth of this type of discussion. Hackers are intelligent, skilled individuals who generally disdain going about things mindlessly. It’s important for their work to be legitimately impactful or meaningful (at least to them). Even in their leisurely time, it may seem that they elect to remain actively engaged, favoring a variety of readings over reality television, chess over checkers, and the like. Their nature may cause a disconnect with those outside of this type of persona, and may contribute to some potential for bonding with those who share it. Do you identify with these attributes? That is, would you consider yourself a hacker? I do see a lot of overlap with myself and the attributes described in a number of these readings about “hackers”. I certainly elect to be actively and purposefully engaged in both my career and personal life. On the day to day, I’m always working with some form of goal in mind rather than being content to simply exist. My lack of interest in large-scale or office politics (or proactive interest in avoiding them as much as I can) is notably similar, as well. The being said, I think that there’s a lot that’d keep me from describing myself as a hacker. Some feel that I’m more socially driven than a number of those who’d identify with the hacker-culture, and I like getting dressed and suited up from time to time, while many of the described type only dread it. Most notably, the term “hacker” seems poised to be eternally connected to computers and programming. While my chosen field of study is computer science, I understand that I’m not one of the folks who lives it day in and day out, nor do I feel that I will be as capable as I perceive many of those who would describe themselves as “hackers” to be. With all of the lines I feel that I’m able to draw between the common basis of what a hacker is, I’d say that even if I were to be included in that grouping, I’d be an outcast in a grouping consisting of what some may consider society’s outcasts. What is your reaction to this characterization? Part of me questions whether I should feel some sort of shame or some other sort of way for feeling disconnected to this identity that so many of my peers here at school may fit much better. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of trying to put myself (or others) into categorized boxes, especially when the boundaries for which are so ambiguous that it took reading 6 different writings to get a grip on what may be the basis of that criteria. So, while I consider that feeling, I ultimately feel that it doesn’t bother me much. I think a lot of those who fall into this category are surprisingly different from one another as they are the same.
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AuthorNikolas Dean Brooks is a current Senior at Notre Dame. This blog is for the "Ethics and Professional Issues" course under Dr. Peter Bui. Archives |