The culture.

[Eversor]

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."
-- Confucius

A great quote by a great person. We reflect on what we learn about anything in this world. We imitate what others do around us to learn more and experience the screw ups which is the hardest lesson of them all.

[Terr]

It's the ability to tinker because you want to figure it out. Even if you never quite understand it, you want to be able to make certain rules that seem to apply, and you want to see what happens...

But that needs to be tempered with responsibility. (E.G.: "Lets see what happens when I change *this* air-traffic-control variable...")

[real:zero]

Some believe it's better to know a little about a lot, than to know a lot about little. But for some reason I feel the need to know a lot about a lot. When I find something new that I'm interested in I feel compelled to learn EVERYTHING about it. And I've always prefered to learn on my own as opposed to someone showing me, or taking a class on it. I always seem to learn more on my own, and get a better understanding. And if acquiring knowlege about the way things work is what drives a hacker, computers/security would naturally be the most suitable place for such people. What other subject has so many intricate details to learn and is constantly changing by the day? Anyway, that's my two cents.