Ted Kaczynski, the notorious Unabomber, died in prison on Wednesday at the age of 81. Kaczynski was serving a life sentence for carrying out a series of mail bombings that killed three people and injured 23 others in the 1970s and 1980s.
Kaczynski was born in Chicago in 1942 and grew up in Evergreen Park, Illinois. He was a brilliant student and attended Harvard University, where he earned a degree in mathematics. After graduating from Harvard, Kaczynski went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan.
In the early 1970s, Kaczynski became increasingly isolated and began to develop his anti-technology philosophy. He believed that technology was destroying human nature and that it was necessary to return to a simpler way of life.
In 1978, Kaczynski began sending mail bombs to scientists, academics, and airline executives. He signed his letters with the name “Unabomber,” which stood for “University and Airline Bomber.”
The Unabomber’s campaign of violence continued for 17 years. In 1995, Kaczynski’s brother, David, recognized his brother’s writing style in the Unabomber’s manifesto, “Industrial Society and Its Future.” David contacted the FBI and provided them with information that led to Kaczynski’s arrest.
Kaczynski was convicted of the bombings in 1998 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He died in prison on Wednesday at the age of 81.
Kaczynski’s death marks the end of a dark chapter in American history. His crimes were horrific, but his ideas continue to resonate with some people. It is important to remember the victims of Kaczynski’s crimes and to continue to fight against violence and hatred.