Kevin Mitnick's Testimony Before the Senate

They ask why someone would be a reverse engineer, likening any sort of using a product/etc without authorization and a manual to hacking, and condemned someone who'd do either as the worst that capitalism has to offer and a common vandal.

I see it the other way. Proprietary software, especially where much of the code is intentionally user-hostile (DRM, etc), is the enemy. There's absolutely nothing ignoble about a forensic investigator or librarian, roles which encompass much of what I see as reverse engineering.

Also, it's fun and educational. Taking things apart is how we learn.