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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