I watched this mesmerizing sci-fi in my childhood in the early 80s, nearly a decade after its original release. It left an indelible mark on my psyche and it might be the reason why I hate the "system" so much.
Aren’t you consuming this site, which is funded by one of their biggest venture capital companies in the world, on a machine created by “the system“, and probably working for a company that is part of “the system“?
I actually appreciate your point and those of all similar commenters. I think what bothered me is that a criticism as diffuse as “the system“ is without value because it means everything and nothing.
It also seems not to acknowledge that “the system“ has produced enormous medical and economic advances right along with the many destructive forces it has unleashed. For example, poverty is massively reduced since I was a kid. That is almost completely due to free market forces applied by “the system“.
Please understand I am not trying to defend “the system“ as a whole. I am simply trying to say that a blanket derogation of it does no one any good.
So, let me get this right: the only way you are allowed to critique the system is to make yourself irrelevant by becoming a techno-luddite, turning your back to society, disconnecting and disappear into the woods to live of the grid and self sustaining? All the critics must shut up because they don't have an alternative (although if they give an imperfect alternative you probably wouldn't deem it feasible). This is bullshit and self serving.
It's like saying you aren't allowed to hate petrol cars because you use a petrol car. The concept of technology being solely the domain of capitalist is ludicrous. The invention of technology is not bound to our economic system.
This is a presumption that is not based on history nor empirical evidence.
So critique of the system is something that can be done even if you like technology.
I would think someone who identifies with hackers would understand this.
