Should information be free?
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I don't know how old you are and if you remember the Information is Free movement, whether you participated in Anonymous attacks or Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(hacker_group)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement
But I hope I could create a list with some of the people who had that ideology now making millions selling ridiculous NFTs.
There was a time when a lot of kids were convinced that information should be free. When it's somebody else's information of course. There was no Edward Snowden or NSA leaks and Privacy was not a priority.
The few who wrote and talked about it were considered, well many things. It's like now when they accuse everyone who dares having critical thinking and expressing their opinion as enemies of Crypto spreading FUD
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/sep/08/anonymous-behind-masks-cyber-insurgents
Not only downloading torrents became some kind of revolutionary action in a strange way but we were trying to convince the world that stealing your music, book, movie or software was actually a good thing and you should be thankful for that.
Being part of The Scene seemed cool and whatnot. I remember downloading thousands of torrents that I knew I would never use. But why not download the latest version of Adobe products? They cost thousands of dollars, right? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warez_scene
Rapidshare was a giant back then, on our side we naively thought. Until they handed over to major record labels the personal details of uploaders who uploaded copyright-protected files. Same with Megaupload.
Suddenly, Metallica who initiated the chain of reaction were not cool and antiestablishment but a hated group who "only cares about money". Dr Dre and others fell in the same category.
Meanwhile Rapidshare would post stuff like this days after handing users data obviously not realising that there are no secrets online:
"we will not spy out the files that our clients faithfully upload onto RapidShare, not now nor in future. We are against upload control and guarantee you that your files are safe with us and will not be opened by anyone else than yourself"
But one of the worst betrayals was that from Sabu, the leader of LulzSec.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/exclusive-infamous-international-hacking-group-lulzsec-brought-down-by-own-leader
You see there is always a leader no matter what the ideology or whatever they tell you. In exchange for his cooperation, federal prosecutors agreed not to prosecute him for hacking, attempts to sell marijuana, possession of an illegal handgun, purchasing stolen property, charging $15,000 to his former employer's credit card and a case of identity theft.
He gave up everything including the names of all the team members, some already arrested before. Only one person didn't crack to the pressure of FBI and a dozen other agencies from different countries. A 17 years old girl. The true Man who kept it real. Because the rest although using the catchy "we do it for the Lulz" motto, were just wannabe pussies.
And some of them really thought that bringing down a website with a DDOS attack made them real hackers. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/06/titanic-takeover-tuesday-lulzsecs-busy-day-of-hacking-escapades/
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/05/30/pbs.hackers/index.html
His excuse was I had 2 kids to think of. Motherfucker, you should think about that before becoming a wannabe bad ass. And guys, if you have any kids or any other way the government could pressure you, stay away from such activities. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_AntiSec
Topiary and other "hacktivists" also became government informers. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topiary_(hacktivist)
Although their friends tried to paint a different picture always using idiotic big words portraying themselves as true freedom fighters. https://archive.org/stream/ThePhilosophyOfAnonymous_201708/anonymous_djvu.txt
The same happened with Occupy Wall Street movement. The wannabe revolutionaries had no clear goals or proposals, just cheap slogans. And that's why they were heavily criticized even by Left wing scholars.
When the crackdown begun, guess what happened...
And something else, some of the leaders who now accuse everyone as a racist and bigot (in case you haven't noticed, everything is racist these days) are the same who called for the death of Jews (among other things) because they control the world (among other things) and other stupid conspiracy theories you usually see on Nazi websites. https://www.commentary.org/abe-greenwald/occupy-wall-street-has-an-anti-semitism-problem/
Others change ideologies as it suited them. Or maybe they were Nazis all along. https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/14/13951762/anonymous-black-lives-matter-ddos-attack-six-months-hacktivism
In case you have forgotten, Nazis were socialists too.
They even asked Obama to make Google boss "the CEO of America"! https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/20/occupy-founder-obama-eric-schmidt-ceo-america
When I saw for the first time the Anonymous motto, it really struck a chord in my heart.
We are Anonymous
We are Legion
We don't forget
We don't forgive
Expect us
The don't forget, don't forgive part was already a basic piece of my mindset even before Anonymous and still is in some level. Sounded so romantic and bad ass, and in combination with the spirit of the time, the whole thing about changing the world seemed entirely doable and optimistic.
But in the end, that bitter end, it was once again a repetition of history. Petty differences, ego, I know it all mentality, I joined earlier than you, my dick is bigger childish reactions exposed the house of cards the whole structure was. Just like hippies they ended up becoming part of the system, getting married, working (often on the same big companies they supposedly hated) and having a relatively easy life.
Of course some continue to try and convince us that they are not in it for the money, especially when it comes to crypto.
A lot of idiots tried to use the name later, only to be laughed and ridiculed by former members. https://www.vice.com/en/article/ywna4w/anonymous-declared-war-on-trump-and-then-disappeared
And some of them really thought that bringing down a website with a DDOS attack made them real hackers. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/06/titanic-takeover-tuesday-lulzsecs-busy-day-of-hacking-escapades/
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/05/30/pbs.hackers/index.html
Although their friends tried to paint a different picture always using idiotic big words portraying themselves as true freedom fighters. https://archive.org/stream/ThePhilosophyOfAnonymous_201708/anonymous_djvu.txt
The same happened with Occupy Wall Street movement. The wannabe revolutionaries had no clear goals or proposals, just cheap slogans. And that's why they were heavily criticized even by Left wing scholars.
When the crackdown begun, guess what happened...
I doubt most of them even know where the Do As You Wish came from and who said it first (hint: it was Alister Crowley). And really don't realise the consequences if everyone on this planet adopted that philosophy. Because it's not meant for the weak.
And something else, some of the leaders who now accuse everyone as a racist and bigot ?in case you haven't noticed, everything is racist these days) are the same who called for the death of Jews (among other things) because they control the world (among other things) and other stupid conspiracy theories you usually see on Nazi websites. https://www.commentary.org/abe-greenwald/occupy-wall-street-has-an-anti-semitism-problem/
When I saw for the first time the Anonymous motto, it really struck a chord in my heart.
We are Anonymous
We are Legion
We don't forget
We don't forgive
Expect us
The don't forget, don't forgive part was already a basic piece of my mindset even before Anonymous and still is in some level. Sounded so romantic and bad ass, and in combination with the spirit of the time, the whole thing about changing the world seemed entirely doable and optimistic.
But in the end, that bitter end, it was once again a repetition of history. Petty differences, ego, I know it all mentality, I joined earlier than you, my dick is bigger childish reactions exposed the house of cards the whole structure was. Just like hippies they ended up becoming part of the system, getting married, working (often on the same big companies they supposedly hated) and having a relatively easy life.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52879000
Social media is full of fake "official video" crap nowadays. And nobody takes seriously the word that once was feared and respected.
The reason I wrote this post is an interview I was reading a few weeks ago where the journalist was asking this "artist" what happened to the "information is free" posts he was publishing, the condemning of the rich, the superficial lifestyle etc. His answer was that if life was free he would support that position, but it's not.
Obviously when you live with your mother, you think life is free. Somehow, at 22 years old he couldn't understand that back then. I bookmarked the page but can't share it with you because as you know my phone went kaput.
Just remember this. Nothing is free in this life. Absolutely nothing. You pay for it one way or another. And not only Life is not fair, but doesn't owe you anything. It's 100% brutal survival, unless you belong to the rich and powerful minority.
And although a tiny minority, it is extremely difficult to fight it as history has shown multiple times. So, when you read articles saying Facebook is dying, Banks will be gone next year, governments are trembling Bitcoin etc, stop for a moment and think.
And if you really decide to take that fight, be absolutely sure you have what it takes to go to war. It's ugly and merciless. Especially when fighting society and Life in general. Think deeply and see if you are ready to pay the heavy price. Sometimes decades in prison or even with your life.
Life will chew you and spit on the sidewalk before you can say BTC. And believe me, nobody will care about it apart from your family.
Trust nobody online and always try to remember that most of them will betray you in a heartbeat when things get tough.
Never underestimate the enemy, it's much more powerful than you. And always remember, there is always someone out there smarter and tougher than you. https://web.archive.org/web/20110618033144/http://news.consumerreports.org/electronics/2011/06/cia-website-hacked-lulzsec-takes-credit-again.html
In the end, should information be free? At 18, I always wondered why since ancient times so many religions, sects, cults, wise men and philosophers thought it should not. I would not have any problem with complete transparency and exposing my deepest secrets. But as long as I know that everyone else will do the same. And we all not it will never happen.
The answer to the question is simple, people are stupid, imperfect, greedy, uneducated etc and they don't deserve it. If you want info and knowledge, you should search it on your own. Digging and diving deep into places the majority will never visit. Having it ready means you don't own or completely understand it.
Because it's not about information or learning some secret knowledge. It's the journey that matters.