Elect more hackers
What's a hacker, and why we should elect more of them
Throughout the past 30 years, popular culture has characterized "hackers" primarily as criminal masterminds and threats to society. This persistent, negative stereotype does not represent the technically capable problem-solvers that actually make up the vast majority of "hacker culture."
I’m Andrew Brandt, and I am proud to count myself among the ranks of hackers who do good in the world. I’m on a mission to reclaim the term hacker and to help elect more hacker heroes to public office.
We need you!
Hackers are the creative problem solvers we need, right now
As a society, we face a multitude of challenges and problems that sometimes are exacerbated by technology, and sometimes are created by the technology itself.
While there are certainly a few hacker criminals who employ their skills to engage in malicious acts, they are far outnumbered by the types of hackers that I associate with - the ones that seek to solve complex problems, at times employing creative, innovative, and unconventional methods. It is this spirit of creativity and unconventional problem-solving that goes to the heart of hacker culture, and one of the reasons I consider myself a hacker.
Technology has changed rapidly and transformed our society in both positive and negative ways, and we need more people in positions of political leadership at all levels who are versed in both the benefits of technology, and the hazards they present, to help guide us to a brighter future.
Political life could stand to count a few more hackers among its ranks. Will you be the next elected hacker?
The Elect More Hackers Plan
Elect More Hackers is a recruitment drive and training platform for candidates. We are actively recruiting people with a technical background in cybersecurity to run for office at every level.
Throughout 2023, as I ran for a school board seat, I learned a lot about the nuts-and-bolts process involved in running a political campaign. In 2024, the project will educate the hacker community about this process, and encourage civic-minded progressive hackers to run for local office.
Potential candidates, if they are selected, will receive one-on-one coaching in the practicalities of running a political campaign and guidance in the many tasks involved in running a successful campaign, from fundraising, to public speaking, to “retail politics.”
There is no doubt in my mind that, as a society, we would all be better off, and have smarter rules and laws to live by, if a greater proportion of our elected officials share the hacker mindset and demonstrate technical competency. I hope you’ll join this effort to hack the planet, via hacking governance.