51 hours left to live • Hacker News Board

Re: 51 hours left to live

#11

Post by jedsmith » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:25 PM UTC

trin_ wrote: post #8

jedsmith wrote: post #6

> 12,588 up votes 10,018 down votes That's a fascinating look at peoples' reactions to this. A reminder of mortality split right down the middle.

the reddit admins have repeatedly stated, that these numbers are bogus. its a anti-spam measure to throw off bottting attempts.

Hardly. They're fudged a bit as you say, but they're quite close to reality. Enough that I'd look at the proportion instead of the exact numbers, which is the meaning I was attempting to drive home.

The numbers are fudged by a very small amount in a certain direction, based on my observation. I observed this by refreshing one of my own submissions and watching it gain a vote or lose a vote, and I knew exactly how many people had voted on it because it was in a purpose-created subreddit. One of the admins that lurks Hacker News can probably set us straight on which is correct.

I love that whenever I make a comment here even loosely related to Reddit, someone takes it upon themselves to assume that I've never even been to the site and condescend based on what they think they know. My comment wasn't even remotely about Reddit, but thanks for the correction.

Re: 51 hours left to live

#12

Post by ck2 » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:27 PM UTC

csomar wrote: post #4

Really sad, it made me think that I'm going to die in some unknown day and circumstances...

Men have a 1 in 2 chance of getting cancer and then 1 in 4 of dying from it.

Women 1 in 3 getting, 1 in 5 dying.

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probabili...

Make every day count!

Re: 51 hours left to live

#13

Post by joezydeco » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:28 PM UTC

rick_2047 wrote: post #10

Okey this is ridiculous!!!! First the guy who patches a software with Morse code and then this guy who would rather have a AMA with strange people before he dies. News flash people, there are actual human beings around you who you should talk to rather than computers or an anonymous crowd you do not know.

And yet, here we are.

Re: 51 hours left to live

#14

Post by heyitsnick » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:34 PM UTC

rick_2047 wrote: post #10

Okey this is ridiculous!!!! First the guy who patches a software with Morse code and then this guy who would rather have a AMA with strange people before he dies. News flash people, there are actual human beings around you who you should talk to rather than computers or an anonymous crowd you do not know.

What amazes me about this comment is that you honestly do feel you are better to advise someone _how to best spend their time before they die_. This person has battled with cancer for 6 years, and has probably spent a countless amount of time thinking about this decision and how he chooses to spend his final time in the world. Do you not think he has a better educated and more heightened perspective on this issue?

And yet you still have the arrogant audacity to tell the world that what he feels is right is wrong.

Re: 51 hours left to live

#15

Post by j4pe » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:37 PM UTC

"Why do ordinary thoughts gain such credibility just because their source is dying?"

I feel a bit guilty for thinking like this while reading the thread. Maybe a raw vision of mortality makes us emotional, less cynical, and we're more receptive as a result. Maybe we look to last words as an encapsulation of a person's life philosophy, as if they became wiser in the knowledge of imminent death. Or maybe an overly detached analysis is just another reaction to a reminder that we're going to die.

Re: 51 hours left to live

#16

Post by barrkel » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:37 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #12

csomar wrote: post #4

Really sad, it made me think that I'm going to die in some unknown day and circumstances...

Men have a 1 in 2 chance of getting cancer and then 1 in 4 of dying from it. Women 1 in 3 getting, 1 in 5 dying. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probabili... Make every day count!

Those are interesting statistics, because I would guess that if you asked people about gender-specific cancers, the first thing that would pop into their head would be breast cancer, perhaps testicular cancer, then cervical cancer.

Re: 51 hours left to live

#17

Post by Mz » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:41 PM UTC

Someone on HN once suggested I do an AMAA on Reddit. I didn't get it. This post makes me want to do one.

I wish Lucidending well. My impetus has nothing to do with "rebutting" the idea of right to die. I got well in part because I stopped trying to live. At one time, my whole goal was to just hurt less. Suicide would have been gladly welcomed, so I understand why one would do that. I just think it's sad that this is what conventional medicine has to offer.

Of course, I completely suck at starting conversations and can't think of a Reddit handle to use.:-/ So this may never fly.

Re: 51 hours left to live

#18

Post by reason » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:52 PM UTC

Mz wrote: post #17

Someone on HN once suggested I do an AMAA on Reddit. I didn't get it. This post makes me want to do one. I wish Lucidending well. My impetus has nothing to do with "rebutting" the idea of right to die. I got well in part because I stopped trying to live. At one time, my whole goal was to just hurt less. Suicide would have been gladly welcomed, so I understand why one would do that. I just think it's sad that this is…

What is sad about what conventional medicine has to offer?

Re: 51 hours left to live

#19

Post by Mz » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 3:55 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #13

rick_2047 wrote: post #10

Okey this is ridiculous!!!! First the guy who patches a software with Morse code and then this guy who would rather have a AMA with strange people before he dies. News flash people, there are actual human beings around you who you should talk to rather than computers or an anonymous crowd you do not know.

And yet, here we are.

Yes, every time I see a comment like this on some email list dismissing the value of internet relationships as not really real, I bite my tongue and resist the temptation to ask "then why are you here?"

Re: 51 hours left to live

#20

Post by Mz » Sun, Mar 06, 2011, 4:02 PM UTC

reason wrote: post #18

Mz wrote: post #17

Someone on HN once suggested I do an AMAA on Reddit. I didn't get it. This post makes me want to do one. I wish Lucidending well. My impetus has nothing to do with "rebutting" the idea of right to die. I got well in part because I stopped trying to live. At one time, my whole goal was to just hurt less. Suicide would have been gladly welcomed, so I understand why one would do that. I just think it's sad that this is…

What is sad about what conventional medicine has to offer?

If you read his comments, he has been battling cancer for 6 years. He has apparently had multiple surgeries. He is stopping the medication so he can have a "lucid ending" and spend some quality time with family and friends. He has been tortured by chemo. He plans on having jello as his last meal so he doesn't "mess" himself again.

I have cystic fibrosis. I've gotten off of 8 or so prescription drugs. The drug side effects were crippling. I was miserable and unemployable. My sister has been battling cancer for 11 years or more. I belong to email lists for people with CF. I've heard lots of stories like this. What conventional medicine does is pretty gruesome. I am getting well. I only wish I could more effectively share that information. BTDT, got the t-shirt and it saddens me that so many people are doomed to the same fate as Lucidending.

Edit: I would be seriously interested in knowing why this is being downvoted. There is something wrong with finding a better way and wishing to share it and thinking it sucks that other people are suffering so horribly?