An interesting post, even if it was your own (although you might be better off omitting the "--agree?" in the future)
I'm not sure that it's true that "young people are prone to alter or repurpose software and devices to their liking" in any majority, now or ever. There are always a lot of hackers, but they've never seemed to me to be a significant percentage of their age group.
Bricolage is VERY interesting, especially when compared to traditional 'engineering'. Here's an excerpt [1] from Claude Lévi-Strauss (the term's originator):
"The 'bricoleur' is adept at performing a large number of diverse tasks; but, unlike the engineer, he does not subordinate each of them to the availability of raw materials and tools conceived and procured for the purpose of the project. His universe of instruments is closed and the rules of his game are always to make do with 'whatever is at hand'"
An endless procession of "all ____ is actually ____" seems very appealing to the human mind because we seek to overlay patterns on reality that make it easier to understand. Beware leaky abstractions when trying to create simple models.
What is useful is to discover a specific aspect in every subject. For example discover what is "hacking" in everything or what is "flowing" in everything, and so on.
I define "hacker culture" as when even if things don't "just work," you keep at it until they do (often using creative means).
I disagree with respect to modifying software/devices. Most computer users (even young ones) will only modify software if it is convenient and if what they do "just works."
If you expand the definition of "hacking" away from computers -- then yes, I do believe that every person is a "hacker" in some aspect(s) of their life!
I'm not sure that it's true that "young people are prone to alter or repurpose software and devices to their liking" in any majority, now or ever. There are always a lot of hackers, but they've never seemed to me to be a significant percentage of their age group.
Bricolage is VERY interesting, especially when compared to traditional 'engineering'. Here's an excerpt [1] from Claude Lévi-Strauss (the term's originator):
"The 'bricoleur' is adept at performing a large number of diverse tasks; but, unlike the engineer, he does not subordinate each of them to the availability of raw materials and tools conceived and procured for the purpose of the project. His universe of instruments is closed and the rules of his game are always to make do with 'whatever is at hand'"
[1] full text at http://varenne.tc.columbia.edu/bib/info/levstcld066savamind....