- Exploration, playfulness, cleverness.
- Pushing the limits of a system (whether cultural, technical, or physical), but never in an illegal, harmful or immoral way.
- Working smart, not just working hard; getting the most output for the least energy.
- Being like water, which always finds the path of least resistance, and is not afraid to go into the low places.
- Using all the tricks of the trade to your advantage.
One need not be a computer hacker to embody the hacker spirit.