#3: Topic Insight

So it has been about a week since I have conducted usable research towards my topic, thus this post will be slightly (or significantly) off topic, maybe even rant-like.  I will try to introduce possible examples of my topic.  

I say that I have not done any "usable" research towards my topic, however I find myself searching and reading various articles within the realm of my topic.  This may be in part due to the recent self-realization that I might have "information addiction."  This, I believe, could be a byproduct of the twenty first century "information age."  Access to any information that we want is literally at our finger tips due to the advancements of smartphones (at least in developed nations).  It is convenient that my personal interests and my topic are very closely related, so my information addiction could easily help me with my research.

I have read articles related to the first 3D printed gun, advancements in 3D printable filaments, 3D metal printing, internet freedoms (in the US and in less developed nations), anti-pornography protests, bit torrent along with the Pirate Bay and copyright violations, hackers violating privacy, internet based black markets, and many more.  The Liberator pistol, is the first 3D printed (plastic) gun by a company called Defense Distributed, forever free to download.   It is curious to know that the only part of an AR-15 that has a serial number on it (and thus the part to be registered) is a part known as the lower receiver which could be made completely made out of plastic, plastic that could be 3D printed at one's home.  So, one could legally buy a 3D printer, filament, ammo and download these files, but illegally print parts to make an unregistered weapon.  This is just one example of the disadvantages to digital freedom.  Another quick example can be seen on YouTube by watching people trying to "cook meth" but catastrophically failing and injuring themselves using a technique that can be easily found online.  This self-inflicted injury stems not from the legality of the target substance but the fact that a qualified chemist would know how to conduct the correct procedures while the average Joe would not have this knowledge and ultimately blows himself up.