Tech manifestos have played significant roles in shaping various technological movements and ideologies over the past few decades. These manifestos are the sparks that have ignited movements but impact on how we think about technology, privacy and human connection as a society is much bigger than the movements followers. A lot of modern computing philosophy can be derived by a handful of manifestos and other works since the 1980s.
Recently I compared Farcaster to The Well and some people asked me what The Well was. It made me wonder what other kinds of hacker/computer lore is being lost.
From the raw, rebellious spirit of The Hacker Manifesto to the bold optimism of the Techno-Optimist Manifesto, here is a list of my favorite Manifestos.
The GNU Manifesto (1985) - Written by Richard Stallman, this manifesto outlined the principles of free software and launched the GNU Project, which later led to the creation of the Free Software Foundation.
The Conscience of a Hacker (1986) - Also known as "The Hacker Manifesto," this piece by Loyd Blankenship (The Mentor) explores the motivations and ethics of hackers, emphasizing curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge.
A Cypherpunk's Manifesto (1993) - Written by Eric Hughes, this manifesto advocated the use of cryptography and privacy-enhancing technologies to protect individual liberty and privacy. It helped launch the cypherpunk movement.
The Cluetrain Manifesto (1999) - Authored by Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberger, this manifesto argued that the Internet would fundamentally change the nature of business and markets through networked conversations.
The Maker Manifesto (2013) - Written by Mark Hatch, this manifesto outlines the principles of the maker movement, emphasizing creativity, sharing, learning, and the democratization of manufacturing through technology.
The Decentralized Web Manifesto (2016) - Created by the Internet Archive, this manifesto calls for a more distributed and resilient web architecture to preserve knowledge and protect against censorship and centralized control.
The Techno-Optimist Manifesto (2023) - Written by Marc Andreessen, this manifesto argues for embracing technological progress as a means to solve global problems and improve human welfare.
These manifestos have inspired hackers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and dreamers to push the boundaries of what's possible, to question the status quo, and to imagine a world where technology serves humanity, not the other way around. Reading them in this order is a good was to reflect on the evolving relationship between technology, society, and individual liberty.
