All I know is that he didn’t want money. He wanted access.
Which is why I would tend to sympathize with this crime if it weren't for the dangerous and unpredictable nature of such stunts. The physical nature of the attack makes it repulsive, but I would've cheered it on if it were a "let me into TED or I out <X about you> to your family" type "crime", or infinitely better yet, some sort of subversive and victimless hacking. Access to an event like TED or Davos is worth playing an occasional red card, and a person with such an opportunity is right to take it.
This is definitely a sign of a new era. Although the crude physical nature of the attack is repulsive and damnable, I'm glad to see that a new and flatter shape of society shall soon emerge, because the will is there.
Threat-of: sure. No harm done. The real criminals who make up 95% of society's leadership ("power elite" if you choose to use incendiary language) do worse on a daily basis. Gate-crashing is small potatoes.
The degree of corruption in modern society is so high that such a "crime" would be a blip on the radar. Of course, if you got caught, you'd still be strung up quite badly, since the upper crust want to keep "the likes of you" out.
The reason it's a good thing to do something like this is that such a "crime" changes the shape of society by force, but by nonviolent force.
Subversive methods such as hacking the guest list or bribing a gatekeeper are a lot better, though. I don't think I could bring myself to blackmail someone, even if I knew I wasn't going to follow through.
Actually following through and ruining the guy's life: No. Not acceptable. Doesn't do any good for anyone.
Which is why I would tend to sympathize with this crime if it weren't for the dangerous and unpredictable nature of such stunts. The physical nature of the attack makes it repulsive, but I would've cheered it on if it were a "let me into TED or I out <X about you> to your family" type "crime", or infinitely better yet, some sort of subversive and victimless hacking. Access to an event like TED or Davos is worth playing an occasional red card, and a person with such an opportunity is right to take it.
This is definitely a sign of a new era. Although the crude physical nature of the attack is repulsive and damnable, I'm glad to see that a new and flatter shape of society shall soon emerge, because the will is there.