There used to be a magic shop in downtown Albany and the kids and I would stop by there sometimes and look around. The owners were an old couple and the wife would rave about how awesome it was being a magician. She said learning all the tricks completely alters the way you see life. The way she talked about it reminded me of how hackers are pretty much the same way, feeling like they have a completely different grasp on life than “normal” people. I wonder, as someone who has an understanding of the way hackers see the world, would learning all the magician tricks add anything to that feeling or would it be basically all the same stuff. Or maybe magicians are just newbs and don’t really have the awesome enlightenment that hackers do. Stupid magicians.
Dec 20
Hackers vs. Magicians
Leave a Reply
Loading tweets...Read THE BOOK
The PLA book contains stories from the PLA and notla.com. Click here to learn more about it.Buy it from the PLA Store
Buy it from Amazon
Buy it from B&N
6 comments
Skip to comment form ↓
John
January 12, 2012 at 4:15 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Here’s what I think of you!:
jhgbvnrhdsngjklshfdgjhlshdvmcxnlvkjhfdhgj
rbcp
January 12, 2012 at 4:22 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Wow, harsh, man!
herpaderp
January 19, 2012 at 3:45 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I totally just farted!
bookapoo
January 24, 2012 at 5:23 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Learning the secrets of magicians is much like peering behind the curtains at the circus. Double speak is used within the industry, just as code is used in hacking communities. Circus members refer to it as “carney”, for example; audience members not keen on the logistics are known as marks and so forth. As an artist I’m drawn to the dissection of conventionalism. This is why I identify with the PLA. Like you Brad, I also dislike racism & homophobia. This might sound corny, but anyone willing to stick up for their core beliefs is someone worth calling a friend.
fix
February 14, 2012 at 2:47 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hacking is a lot like magic, in the regards that if the audience doesnt know the secret of the illusion, it must be magik, or in this case, “hacking” Hacking is no more real, than magic. It is a word defined by the context in which it is used. A word that is defined by the audience.
Therefore, hacking is magic….but is it real? or is it just men with tools doing things the audience doesnt understand?
Perhaps it is a little bit of both. I wrote a semi interesting paper on this comparison recently. Actually. Nice to see Im not the only person who has pondered this parallel.
Signed.
Fix Nichols
bogusflow
March 1, 2012 at 6:04 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I ran across this site because I used to call chatlines and mess with people and prank a lot (not on your level though with the cool fast food intercom pranks) and I wonder if you were ever a part of those chatlines? Defcon voice bridge, buttmonkey, hotel california, etc. I also met a guy claiming to be “chris hawkins” that was kind of a douche but fun nonetheless. anyway, nice site. I could read this stuff and watch the vids all day if I had time. Thanks for the funny.