And by the same token I'm not defending the thieves. I don't feel the need to. I'm just pointing out, quite dispassionately, that it's thieves and mavericks who are driving the technology on. And that, when the powers-that-be finally gain control, as they will, and when people start to feel limited, trapped and cheated by that, as they will, it'll probably be thieves and mavericks again who drive things on to the next plateau.
And on and on we'll go: small rebellions and minor victories which capitalism will neatly package and sell back to us. All part of the process.