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Aaron Swartz commits suicide

tech.mit.edu

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Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#111

Post by philwelch »

monsterix wrote: post #44
Claudus wrote: post #16

Here's the JSTOR Statement related to the downloading incident: http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-... What Happened Last fall and winter, JSTOR experienced a significant misuse of our database. A substantial portion of our publisher partners’ content was downloaded in an unauthorized fashion using the network at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of our participating institutions…

Can we not know who exactly (their faces/names etc.) were the people working in the "US Attorney Office" bent to indict him? It's easy for people to term it was not JSTOR, it was the Attorney Office but ultimately these things happen only because people forget how to treat other people properly.

I'm not sure what you're getting at here. While I'll agree it was overzealous to make a federal case out of this, you can't blame federal prosecutors for doing their fucking jobs just because someone kills themselves. Many people have survived federal prosecution without dying or killing themselves.

I'm shocked and horrified by this news too. It's awful that Aaron died. But it's foolish to blame anybody but him for his actions in this.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#112

Post by lhnz »

jacques_chester wrote: post #91
catch23 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

did he have a history of depression? perhaps it was simply due to stress or pressure? The thought of spending the next 35 years in prison for downloading documents can be pretty painful... probably as bad as someone who was wrongfully tried for murder.

Depression is the leading cause of suicide. Almost all suicides are somehow connected to it. It can have many causes. Sometimes it's innate to the person, sometimes it's brought on by circumstances; oftentimes multiple factors are involved. But the bottom line is: If you are thinking about suicide, get help. Right now.

Do you have experience recovering from depression?

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#113

Post by lopatin »

krzyk wrote: post #88
lopatin wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's your fucking point?

You pull the trigger and all your problems disappear, just like that. But what about your family, friends? They are devastated for the rest of their lives.

Devastation was already running rampant in this situation.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#114

Post by usaphp »

jspthrowaway2 wrote: post #21

I have no words. I've been sitting with my phone's cursor blinking in this box and, for the first time in a long time, my stomach has turned so much from this news that I have nothing to write. What an absolutely dreadful shame. My heart is wrenched for his family and all of us, who lost a brilliant young man. I'm a month older than he was, and to imagine someone my age thinking there was no way out... with all of th…

When you are faced with 35 years of jail and $1Mln fine - i guess you start thinking out of the box...

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#115

Post by benesch »

wilfra wrote: post #100
dyno12345 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a way of describing "depression" in a way that doesn't feel compatible with blame.

He was more accurately describing bipolar disorder, whether he realized it or not. Are you implying that depression or BPD is 'compatibile with blame'? If so, that's absurd.

I think he meant that there's a stigma associated with depression—that many of us unfortunately view depression as the "fault" of depressed individuals, as if it were some sort of choice they make.

No one would ever blame you for a [genetic] heart disorder. In the same way, no one would ever blame you for a [genetic] brain disorder. Phrasing it as such removes some of the stigma.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#116

Post by jacques_chester »

monsterix wrote: post #44
Claudus wrote: post #16

Here's the JSTOR Statement related to the downloading incident: http://about.jstor.org/news/jstor-statement-misuse-incident-... What Happened Last fall and winter, JSTOR experienced a significant misuse of our database. A substantial portion of our publisher partners’ content was downloaded in an unauthorized fashion using the network at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of our participating institutions…

Can we not know who exactly (their faces/names etc.) were the people working in the "US Attorney Office" bent to indict him? It's easy for people to term it was not JSTOR, it was the Attorney Office but ultimately these things happen only because people forget how to treat other people properly.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'd just like to place on the record that if I die under similar circumstances, my wish is that nobody will start an ugly witch hunt in my name.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#117

Post by jacques_chester »

gfunk911 wrote: post #110

I've thought of suicide. Not "seriously," but it's crossed my mind. Sometimes life just seems so hard. My reaction to this is that he was a brilliant guy, and it was such a waste. Such a pointless waste. It makes the idea of giving up myself seem so wrong. Rest in Peace Aaron. I'm sorry it had to end this way.

> I've thought of suicide. Not "seriously," but it's crossed my mind.

If it happens again, get help. I'm quite serious.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#118

Post by wilfra »

RIP. So sad.

Like many others here, may path also crossed his several times as I kept bumping into his work. He had a ton of really cool side projects. I pinged him a few times about some of them and he was always really gracious and helpful in his responses. I didn't find out his stature in the community (reddit cofounder etc) until recently and was shocked he had taken the time to reply to me.

As for the reason he did this now: I'm sure it was a combination of things that had built up over many years, however in a criminal case like this, now would be the time his lawyer would be attempting to work out a plea bargain with the prosecutors. If they were demanding a long prison sentence and multiple felony convictions, and the evidence against him was very strong (as it sounds like it was) many people would probably contemplate suicide.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#119

Post by 0xDECAFFEE »

bpdthrow wrote: post #45

Aaron suffered from a brain disorder. He had documented periods of extreme withdrawn depression and others of mild manic productivity. Because of that brain disorder, perhaps because it was not attacked with the requisite treatment, he is dead. If you or a loved one are ever feeling suicidal, depressed, or are acting abnormally erratic, contact an expert. It's nothing to be ashamed about. It's just a lottery of genet…

You are a fucking idiot. What else is there to say you are a jacksass much like most of the people on hackernews.
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