post 9

The documentary on the origins of the hacker reminds me that even the most frivolous activity can develop into something momentous. "Phone Phreaking" for example may be the most inane activity I could imagine but that activity, with its foundation steeped in simple pranksterism, became the catalyst for the home computer. Its this kind of spirit that can be most difficult to appreciate when viewing from the outside. To labor for long hours to simply see what a piece of hardware can do for your amusement can seem like a means to no real end. Then again to find "an end" is something no one ever really hopes to attain but would rather explore the means. The same kind of idea could be said for the arts for it too seeks newer processes to reach unlikely conclusions. This spirit of simple enjoyment within the medium is what, I believe, will ultimately progress a given activity.