Richard Thieme

Author and Professional Speaker at ThiemeWorks

Information Security (Infosec)Professional SpeakingIntelligence Community CultureAI EthicsCreative WritingStrategic Futurist Projections

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About

I'm Richard Thieme, the founder of ThiemeWorks and a long-time explorer of the digital wilderness. My path has been unconventional, moving from teaching English literature and serving sixteen years as an Episcopal clergyman to becoming a 'hacker shaman' for the global infosec community. For over three decades, I've keynoted conferences like Black Hat and DEF CON, focusing on how new technologies—from AI to biohacking—reshape our identity and security. I'm passionate about uncovering the 'meta-themes' of our era and addressing the moral injury and burnout that often accompany 'dark knowledge.' Whether I'm writing fiction to tell the truths that facts can't reach or lecturing on AI ethics, my goal is to provide strategic context to those bogged down in the tactical. I'm here to connect with fellow lifelong learners and security professionals looking for a deeper perspective on where humanity is headed.

Networking

What I can offer

›Big picture strategic insights for technical experts
›Mentorship on navigating the 'dark side' of security and burnout
›Expertise on the intersection of technology, identity, and intelligence

Looking for

›expanding my professional network
›exploring mutual opportunities in the global hacker community, intelligence, and academia

Best fit for

Hacker communityIntelligence officialsSecurity researchersAcademic lifelong learners

Current Interests

Humanity 2.0 and BiohackingAI and the nature of deceptionPsychological impact of 'dark knowledge'UFOs and mysteries of consciousnessSecurity burnout and moral injury

Background

Career

Transitioned from an Instructor in English Literature to an Episcopal clergyman for sixteen years, before founding ThiemeWorks in 1993 to focus on technology's impact on identity and security.

Education

B.A. in English Literature and Writing from Northwestern University (1965); M.A. in English Literature from University of Chicago (1967); M. Div. in Theology/Theological Studies from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (1977).

Achievements

›DEF CON Uber Contributor (2022) for 26 years of consecutive contributions
›Author of 13 books, including the Mobius Trilogy and Mind Games
›Keynoted security conferences in 15 countries for the NSA, FBI, and Microsoft
›Recognized for receiving standing ovations using only oratory without slides

Opinions

Fiction is the only way you can tell the truth regarding sensitive intelligence matters.
The Borg is us—we are inevitably assimilated into the cultures created by our technologies.
Ethics are options congruent with core notions of identity, which technology is currently transforming.
Consensus realities often mask deeper truths in geopolitical structures.