Although it might go against every anti-plagiarism fiber of my being, I like the collaborative nature of hacking. Hacking can be both the use of abstraction to create unique content, or it can be taking someone else’s work and elaborating on it or changing it. Its interesting how this idea seems to be widely embraced in the hacker community and it can even be seen as art.  The hacker manifesto gives the virtual world a voice. this virtual world is practically limitless, and as Wark notes, transcends any rules of the real world. This is an interesting concept that is coming into conflict with authority constantly. The “rules” of the virtual world are defined differently by all participants. And even though hackers take and make it their own, Wark describes a very Marx-ish idea that hackers do not place a lot of weight in property and ownership, even of their own content. He even say that hackers take from each other, whoever has taken most recently claims ownership.

According to Wark, the hacker embodies a rebel revolting against the laws of the world, and takes to action in the virtual world, where he or she is most comfortable. Hackers hack or steal content from the internet and other hackers. Hackers take, twist, and make it their own. Wark has a firm idea of who a hacker is and does not give much space for any opposition. The picture he paints of a modern hacker is very extreme and leaves no space for anyone lukewarm. Though I don’t know much about the hacker world, I doubt a majority of hackers share Wark’s bold ideals on education and government (okay, maybe not government), but have more mild stances on these issues.  Overall Warks idea of the hacker as a bold vigilante, fighting oppression for all, is a nice one, but perhaps may not be the most realistic.