Bro, hacker culture literally started with kids going to jail because they didn't regard the consequences of their actions.

The people you are thinking of are people who appropriated hacker culture because it was cool.

Tinkering with model railroads or exploring phone systems are not along the same levels. Who did you have in mind?

If you really don't think hacker culture can be life-and-death, consider the case of Aaron Swartz.

Most hackers I'd consider quintessential hackers don't have names for, because anonymity/pseudonymity is a big part of hacker culture as it originated.

Now, I'm not here to gatekeep (as you are) and I'm not here to fight back against the trend of every mildly-nerdy intellectual pursuit being lumped into "hacking"--if it makes you feel good, feel free to call yourself a hacker. But if we're coming up with examples of hackers, I'd definitely call using a houseboat to travel more hacker-y than tinkering with model trains. What is a model train enthusiast repurposing for their own goals, exactly?

I guess any culture could be life-and-death then, including knitting, if you take into account suicide.

It seems like you have a bone to pick since you are claiming things about me that aren't true, and I don't care to waste my time with that. Whether you reply or not, I won't reply again.

> I guess any culture could be life-and-death then, including knitting, if you take into account suicide.

You realize there's a reason he committed suicide, right? People don't start knitting, face the prospect of spending the rest of their lives in prison for knitting, and then go, "I don't see any way out" and kill themselves.

This is such an insensitive and dishonest argument you're making.

> It seems like you have a bone to pick since you are claiming things about me that aren't true,

I have made exactly one claim about you: you're gatekeeping what it means to be a hacker. You said: "That couple sounds reckless, dangerous, and without regard to the consequences of their actions. Not exactly people I would picture as hackers." That's pretty clear.

If you don't like your behavior being accurately described, behave better?

> I don't care to waste my time with that. Whether you reply or not, I won't reply again.

You're better than being called a gatekeeper, but you're not better than announcing your exit, eh?