The Hacker Manifesto is a short ezine written in 1986 by a hacker known as The Mentor, right after he got arrested. This piece became a symbol for hacker culture and is still shared today, especially among those who see hacking not as crime, but as curiosity.
My favorite sarcasm from this article is…
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.
A Voice from the Underground
The manifesto opens with a simple scene: a teenager gets arrested. The media calls it a scandal, the system calls it a threat. But the hacker? He sees the world differently.
Instead of justifying actions, The Mentor invites us to understand why hackers do what they do. Most of them aren’t trying to destroy or steal. They’re trying to learn, explore, and challenge boundaries. Many feel out of place in school, bored by repetition, and frustrated by shallow teaching. When they find a computer, they finally feel in control.
“I found a computer. Wait a second, this is cool. It does what I want it to.”
Curiosity Isn’t a Crime
What stands out in the Hacker Manifesto is the repeated idea that curiosity is the real “crime.” Hackers want to learn how things work—systems, networks, people. They break things apart not to ruin them, but to understand them. They don’t care about labels like nationality or skin color. Their world is made of code, logic, and questions.
As someone working in cybersecurity, I’ve met people who started just like this: poking around out of curiosity. Some are now pentesters, some are in blue teams, and others still operate in gray areas. But the root? It’s the same. That hunger to know.
Misunderstood Rebels
The manifesto points out a deep hypocrisy: society punishes the hacker, but ignores its own larger crimes. It builds bombs, wages wars, and exploits the system, yet calls a teenager writing code a criminal. That contrast hit hard in the ’80s—and it still does.
You don’t have to agree with everything in the text, but the deeper message is worth hearing: don’t be quick to judge people who think differently.
Still Relevant Today
Nearly 40 years later, The Hacker Manifesto still resonates—especially in cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and hacker communities. It’s quoted in DEF CON talks, printed on posters, and used to inspire young hackers to use their skills for good.
For beginners in cybersecurity, reading this manifesto can be a moment of realization: “Oh… I’m not alone.”
Final Thoughts
The Hacker Manifesto isn’t about glorifying crime. It’s about asking the world to understand hackers—not fear them. It reminds us that curiosity is powerful, and when channeled the right way, it can change the world.
So if you’ve ever felt out of place, if you’ve ever questioned how things work, or if you’ve ever been told you’re too curious for your own good—read the Hacker Manifesto. You might find a bit of yourself in it.
My References From Phrack Magazine (https://phrack.org/issues/7/3)
