Steven Levy on the future of hacking: "Part of hacking is undertaking tasks that seem impossible and actually doing them."

Hacking was once the symbol of the counterculture. It described an approach to solving problems outside of existing systems. Hackers ignored traditional authority. They made up their own rules.  They were outsiders.

But in the 90s, things changed. As fast-moving inventors, hackers became the people best positioned to build the internet products and services we grew to love. Suddenly, their skills were in high demand. Tech journalist Steven Levy explained: “You could work with venture capitalists. You could have a company that made millions and millions of dollars. You could make millions and millions of dollars," Steven explained, "and still be a true hacker.”

Steven’s an expert on hackers: he wrote the book. Literally. In 1984. It was called Hackers. Steven’s also a friend. We got to know each other covering the same company--Facebook. We both met Mark Zuckerberg when you still needed a “.edu” on the end of your email address to have a Facebook account.

For the last three years, as Facebook has undergone myriad struggles, Steven’s been talking to Mark. Now he has a new book. It's called Facebook: The Inside Story. 

For a generation of companies, Mark has been the face of hacker culture gone mainstream. Move fast! Break things! But today things at Facebook aren’t great. So this week on #HelloMonday, we ask: was hacking ever such a great idea?

To hear our conversation, you can download the episode here. Then, please, share your own thoughts and tag them #HelloMonday so I can jump into the conversation.

Here are some highlights….

On the engineering mindset: “There's no problem that can't be fixed if you tinker with the machine enough.”

On the shift in how we think about hacking: “It came around the '90s and afterward. There was no contradiction between hacking, which is something that gives people great pleasure, gives them control over the world, something which for true hackers is almost sacred... and making a bundle while you do it.”

On the end of working against the system: “What became amazing was the system stepped inside the hacking world. It wasn't that the act of hacking was different. It was that the world realized that, wow, these are the people that are going to create the giant industries of our day.”

On Facebook’s early approach to business: “That was a lesson that [Mark] learned maybe too well. You could screw up, even with people's privacy, and just move on and you'd be forgiven.”

On today’s tech companies: “When you're a giant company, you can't come off like an underdog. All these companies in Silicon Valley try to wear underdog clothes way past the expiration date.”

On what is valuable about hacker culture today: “Part of hacking is undertaking tasks that seem impossible and actually doing them. That's something that you saw at Apple under Steve Jobs. You saw at Google with Larry Page and Sergey Brin. To do something like the search engine that brings you the most obscure fact from anywhere on the web? Tasks like those can only be done with the hacking mentality. You undertake something that people think is crazy. You understand that technologies make it possible and you're fearless about undertaking it.”

Quarantine

As COVID-19 concerns continue to mount across the world, we are living through a historical moment. It's also an anxiety-fueled moments. How do you prepare without becoming a prepper? Are you making too much of an illness akin to the flu or failing to prepare for the next global pandemic? How do you keep up with the news without melting down with worry?

LinkedIn's Chris Anderson is tracking the impact of coronavirus in a new biweekly newsletter, Making Sense of Coronavirus. He's doing it from the home office, since he, like so many #HelloMonday listeners, is working from home right now. Sign up to keep up on how coronavirus is impacting business, and our ability to work

In the meantime, if you're under quarantine--self-imposed or otherwise--I want to hear from you for an upcoming show. A friend in Hong Kong said there's been a run on toilet paper in her local market. Another friend in Milan shared a photo of an empty supermarket shelf. How are you making it work? Email me at [email protected] or share your thoughts in the comments.

?? Would You Rather

This week, we’re introducing a new segment on Hello Monday. It’s a game, really. I’ll collect your answers in the comments below, and we’ll feature them every week. Here goes: WOULD YOU RATHER:….an office with a door that closes...or free lunch everyday?

That’s it for this week. You can always find me at [email protected]. And, If you enjoyed listening, subscribe, and rate us on Apple Podcasts – it helps new listeners find the show.