This guy is an absolute and utter ass, but fuck the government for putting him in prison for 3 years because he "hacked" (i.e. exploited an obvious security flaw) some computers and embarrassed a few corporations.
Good job on turning a dipshit like this into yet another hacker culture hero.
I hate people who go for the obvious "vicious" attack on people and then hide behind "WELL IF EVERYBODY WASNT SO SENSITIVE IT WOULDNT BE SO HURTFUL" even though they only used that attack because those people are offended by it. "IM WAKING THIS WORLD UP AND SHAKING AWAY SOCIAL NORMS WITH MY TROLLING. IM CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN YOU THINK OR COULD EVER KNOW
He's right about the caustic chemicals and welding though. My parents trusted me to play with matches unsupervised all through 4th and 5th grade (hell they even kept me supplied with Ohio Blue Tips) and I never once burned or otherwise endangered anyone or anyone's property and I'm sure it built character somehow.
Weev lacks class but he's not entirely wrong, he's just an uncreative ass who wouldn't know good trolling if it bit his mom on the dick.
As a poeTroll, I have to say, if I wasn't such an insecure fucking prick, it wouldn't be so hurtful. I contribute nothing (unless you believe that extremist views polarize the middle in the direction of the most extreme view on any given side), and I reinforce the most socially normal thing ever, hatred.
(the jury cited his Reddit Ask Me Anything) three times in its sentencing letter to the judge in his case. They also pointed to his Encyclopdia Dramatica — a "satirical" Wiki entry, which describes Auernheimer as an "eDork" who "smells of rotting turnips."
I don't think he has any room to call others autistic, a lack of empathy is a symptom of autism.
Besides, "trolling culture" is mainstream now, and people are bigger internet-and-phone-dependent wimps than ever before. His theory has already been proven wrong.