Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber” currently serving a prison sentence for domestic terrorism, has a “very rational” critique of modern society, according to a University of Michigan professor who corresponds with Kaczynski.
“The reason why he sent the bombs was not so much because he thought killing people would do any good, the reason was that it gave him the leverage to force the publication of [his] manifesto,” David Skrbina, a lecturer at U of M-Dearborn, told The Chronicle of Higher Education. “In a sense he had this larger cause, which is a noble cause. If it turns out to be true that there is this vital threat to the planet or to humanity, there’ll be no doubt that kazcynski was right, that the technological system is a kind of mortal threat.”
Skrbina — after corresponding with Kaczynski over the last nine years — published their letters, essays written by the Unabomber from prison, and the original manifesto that the Washington Post published in 1995 in consultation with the FBI’s investigation into the bombings, in a book called Technological Slavery. In the introduction, Skrbina denounced the terrorist attacks that killed three people.
But he clearly admires Kaczynski, nonetheless. “[H]e was one of the few people who had the guts to stand up and say [that technology is a mortal threat], and to say that only the most radical action against the system can protect us from these worst possible outcomes,” Skrbina explained. “So, it may yet turn out to be true that he was a prophet and potentially a kind of savior of humanity and the planet.”
When a student challenged Skrbina for teaching Kaczynski’s writings, the professor defended himself by comparing the Unabomber — favorably — to President Obama. “”If I wanted to be sarcastic, I’d say our president kills people all the time, why should we listen to a murderer called Barack Obama?” he asked, rhetorically. “But we do. OK, it’s a different context and different circumstances, but there’s a kind of parallel there.”
The Chronicle notes that some students “are clearly fans and take class after class with the professor, appreciating the way he raises questions others shy away from.” Skrbina himself tends to minimize the use of technology when possible.
