Misha Glenny's views on the Hacker, i.e. Aspergers?

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http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/11967

I just watched this and wondered whether this is true or not. "raise your hand"

"without the internet many of these people would not have become criminals"
BS.

not sure about his generalization that hackers are natural mathematics, physicists and chemists.
i'd say they are natural thinkers.

-nothing like trying to sell the interviewee's book with a little bit of fear. nice touch bringing up pearl harbor by the interviewer.

It doesn't seem surprising that many of the more elite hackers out there have asperger's. Many aspergians (not all) have excellent math/logic/scientific abilities and can get into states of hyperfocus. Add an obsessive special interest in computer science, programming and hacking and you have the recipe for an excellent hacker.

"without the internet many of these people would not have become criminals"
By this I don't think he means that the internet is somehow morally corrupting these people, but that it offers them an opportunity. These socially disabled people are not the type to plan bank heists or start criminal organisations, but the internet offers them a chance to use their skills for personal gain.

I totally agree with you.


If I were smarter, I'm pretty sure I would have learned how to hack...thankfully, I'm not very intelligent *lol*. I am weak in math and computer programming is over my head.

As a person who got addicted to the internet after my first use, I had extreme curiosity about information and how to do certain things online - what's behind the web page. I am a law abiding citizen, and I would never have used my skills to hurt the average population (like I'd never pursue identity theft or credit card theft). I was more interested in what N@SA is hiding.


persistence + curiosity = possibility to learn something new.


Edit to add:
To the mods: I don't know anything about forum programming, I don't know how to write javascripts, and I don't like CSS at all.

I would broadly agree with this.

If you were the equivalent of a talent scout for a criminal organisation it is very unlikely you would find use for autistics outside of criminal hacking.

Can you imagine an aspie pimp seducing and manipulating young women into sexual slavery?
Can you imagine an aspie drug mule trying to get through customs without arousing suspicion?
Or an aspie loan shark beating up single mothers for nonpayment of fictitious debts?