Before revolutionizing personal computing and becoming the storied co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak found his technological thrill seeking landing him in trouble. Long fascinated by electronics and pranks, the young Woz once attempted an ambitious gambit – phreaking a call with the Pope while posing as Henry Kissinger. This flamboyant stunt exemplified Woz’s irrepressible hacker spirit in those early years. But it also taught some formative lessons on ethics and knowing when a joke goes too far.
Early Passion for Pranks
As the son of an engineer, Steve Wozniak (nicknamed “Woz”) tinkered with electronics and pulled elaborate pranks from childhood. Though cripplingly shy, he found creative and sometimes shocking outlets to challenge authority figures. One particularly ill-advised stunt in college earned Wozniak a night in jail.
But his passion and talent for technology could not be contained. At the University of California Berkeley in 1971, Wozniak became fascinated by “phreaking” – hacking into phone systems to make free, untraceable calls worldwide. This rebelliousness suited Woz’s personality and youthful ideals. Soon he decided on the ultimate phreaking challenge – pranking a call with the Pope while impersonating then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Daring to Reach the Vatican
To pull off this daring prank, 20-year old Wozniak acquired a “blue box,” a special device that exploited weaknesses in early phone networks. This allowed callers to route lengthy conversations through switching stations and bypass billing. While highly illegal, blue boxes became popular in the 1970s tech counterculture that Woz inhabited.
Bold and curious, Woz used his blue box to navigate the labyrinth of international call routing until reaching Vatican City phone exchanges. Adopting his best Kissinger accent, he asked to speak to the Pope while posing as the American diplomat. Incredibly, Woz’s request made it up several levels of Vatican hierarchy, tapping into rarely used channels.
But right before connecting with the pontiff, Wozniak’s scheme unraveled. A suspicious bishop questioned his identity and motives. Though normally shy, Woz committed to his charade until confronted with proof of his subterfuge. The jig was up.
Lessons from a Wayward Genius
While Wozniak evaded legal consequences for his Vatican phreaking, the incident left a mark. Chagrined but wiser, this tech provocateur refined his moral compass going forward while retaining his ingenious spirit.
Just a few years later in 1976, a matured Steve Wozniak would join fellow phreaker Steve Jobs to found Apple Computer. This powerhouse partnership between technical wizardry and business vision gave the world the personal computer revolution.
Apple’s meteoric success made Steve Wozniak vastly wealthy. But unlike many tech moguls, he consciously redirected his focus to education philanthropy and mentoring young people. He even volunteered for decades as a teacher in local schools.
So while Wozniak’s path from wayward phone phreaker to principled inventor and educator included some misadventures, the better angels of his nature prevailed. The Vatican phreaking escapade could have ended in disaster, but instead helped set this tech legend straight toward his destiny.