By: Louie Chiang

Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, was found dead in his cell at the age of 81 on June 13, 2023. He had been imprisoned for more than 20 years. A Harvard graduate and math professor, Kaczynski lived in a cabin three miles from Lincoln, Mont., without electricity or running water. He was also a terrorist who mailed bombs to kill people between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski’s bombs killed three people with his bombs and injured 23 others. He did this because he was against modern technology, which he believed to be dehumanizing and destructive of individuals’ freedom. He wrote a long manifesto about his ideas and wanted it to be published in a major newspaper, unedited. In 1995, the Washington Post published the 35,000-word manifesto as an eight-page special section. Kaczynski’s goal was to draw attention to his ideas and start a discussion about the dangers of technology. He was then arrested and sent to jail for the rest of his life. People were scared of him, and the FBI allocated over $50 million and 150 agents, profilers, and analysts to try to arrest Kaczynski for over 18 years. However, this ended with a tip from his brother, David Kaczynski. David recognized the writing style and ideas expressed in the Unabomber’s manifesto as being similar to his brother’s, so he contacted the FBI. The Unabomber’s case remains one of the most famous in American history, prompting discussions about the developments of technology and the limits of individuals’ freedom.