In the USA, we have a situation with technology where security is, as a norm, being protected less and less.

This isn't the case everywhere, but it is the case in general.

I, personally, have no idea why it is the case.  I am not very involved.

There are many people, who in the past gathered on this mailing list, as well as other places, who knew a _lot_ about having real technological security.

People who acted on that tended to "disappear" in some way.  They'd halt their projects and not explain why.

There is a lot of history of this, although that history is likely now being covered up by the strands of time or whatever reason it happened.

Meanwhile, in the past decade or two, almost all of our infrastructure has become digital.

Let's repeat that:

- Our technological security has been getting worse and worse.

- Our industries, governments, and private lives have been relying on technology more and more.

"Hackers" were branded early as criminals.  The word was used to mean expert.  Now, I don't know what it means, but I use it.

I imagine one of the norms of this list as exploring things in-depth, to understand them.  This is a basic tenet of hacking.  This works well when you are free to do it and act on it.