People Call Me Aaron • Hacker News Board

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#11

Post by masmullin » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:18 PM UTC

herbig wrote: post #8

[deleted] wrote: post #4

[deleted]

He can say "previously a professional Magic: the Gathering player" but really he means on hiatus. No one ever quits. Edit: This made me curious as to what it was like within the GP/PTQ/SCG scene for him. From my experience, almost no one in that scene would know anything about Aaron.

He might not ever return as a pro. I mean, some Hobos make more money than pro magic players.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#12

Post by Kluny » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:23 PM UTC

How is it possible for anyone who knows who Aaron is to not know that he's dead? How could they possibly mistake his brother for him to the extent of thoughtlessly calling him the wrong name?

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#13

Post by spike021 » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:27 PM UTC

Kluny wrote: post #12

How is it possible for anyone who knows who Aaron is to not know that he's dead? How could they possibly mistake his brother for him to the extent of thoughtlessly calling him the wrong name?

I know several people who have for years seen me and thought I was my older brother even though tbh I probably only look about 60, maybe 70% similar, if that.

I can imagine people just not letting it click and continuing to make that mistake.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#14

Post by PhasmaFelis » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:38 PM UTC

Kluny wrote: post #12

How is it possible for anyone who knows who Aaron is to not know that he's dead? How could they possibly mistake his brother for him to the extent of thoughtlessly calling him the wrong name?

They haven't literally forgotten that Aaron is dead. It's just that they're so strongly interested in Noah as a sort of window to Aaron that their subconscious overwrites Noah's name with the person they're actually interested in.

It probably doesn't help that he looks a lot like Aaron.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#15

Post by endlessvoid94 » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:43 PM UTC

nether wrote: post #9

SF tech party culture sounds awful. It sounds no less superficial and dehumanizing than the worst of celebrity adulation in Hollywood.

Accurate.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#16

Post by maxerickson » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:43 PM UTC

eloy wrote: post #6

The best read about Aaron that I've read in the past few days. I had a weird feeling while reading this, I don't really know why, after having read quite a few articles already. Thanks, Noah!

The essay isn't about Aaron.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#17

Post by Retric » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:44 PM UTC

6stringmerc wrote: post #5

Very interesting reflection on identity in the modern world as it relates to family, fame, and trajedy. I have to say that the situation does feel very familiar to me based on some other readings and historical examples. I'll explain. The most prominent correlative is with respect to Hunter S. Thompson. He created Raoul Duke as a character, and Gonzo Journalism as the method by which to report and embellish/comment o…

There is for lack of a better term a profound weakness of identity that's really common today. I think it stems from people having mostly superficial relationships. Where if you grew up in a small tight knit community people make reference to things you said or did at really young ages (4-8) which you can't really escape from, but at the same time there is no need to. Because, in some ways your still that person, or perhaps that person became you.

But, move out into the world and people are judging you on what breaks down to reputation and at most few hours of interactions. Which makes it easy to pretend to be someone else.

That's not to say it's purely a bad thing. When people identify strongly with a group it's easy to lump 'others' into a meaningless category and then do bad things. Still, being able to ignore someone you just met's option as worthless is arguably a valuable skill.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#18

Post by mej10 » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:46 PM UTC

Kluny wrote: post #12

How is it possible for anyone who knows who Aaron is to not know that he's dead? How could they possibly mistake his brother for him to the extent of thoughtlessly calling him the wrong name?

It is very common (especially as you get older) to mix up names for people that are in the same mental category while you are speaking. It isn't necessarily thoughtlessness. Sometimes our brains just don't work quite right.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#19

Post by toyg » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:47 PM UTC

nether wrote: post #9

SF tech party culture sounds awful. It sounds no less superficial and dehumanizing than the worst of celebrity adulation in Hollywood.

Celebrity works in the same way everywhere, from academia to sports to showbiz. What changes are the parameters that define your social status.

Re: People Call Me Aaron

#20

Post by zephod » Tue, Jan 12, 2016, 10:48 PM UTC

This is so sad. I wonder if Noah has considered moving abroad for a bit - in my experience, very few people in the London tech scene know who Aaron Swartz was, or if they've heard the name they will struggle to remember the story behind it. Maybe people will disagree, but I don't think the story had quite the same cultural resonance outside the USA.