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Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

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Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a button to express that feeling.

It doesn't _show_ the same thing as the post. * We can't see votes so to make ascent of an opinion visible adding a "me too" is actually different to an upvote. * We can't see who has upvoted. * The commenters standing - recognised by name, work and reputation by many here I'd warrant - makes a difference too IMO. Whilst "me too" comments get annoying they carry info here that is otherwise not available.

I figured the fact that Thomas and I are usually found on opposite sides of any argument and that we agree on this one might carry some weight.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#382

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is a perfect example of how restrictive gender norms (or, what some might call "patriarchy") can harm men as well as women And this is why I hate the term "patriarchy" in this context: It implies men always get the best of it, there are no downsides for males, and therefore we should be dismissive of male problems. I know this isn't what academic feminists think. It is, however, what a disturbing number of peo…

"And this is why I hate the term "patriarchy" in this context: It implies men always get the best of it, there are no downsides for males, and therefore we should be dismissive of male problems." Feminism benefits men as well. Patriarchy DOES exist to the detriment to men, your anger is misapplied.

> Feminism benefits men as well.

It depends on how it's applied, doesn't it?

> Patriarchy DOES exist to the detriment to men

Thank you for restating my point.

> your anger is misapplied.

How? I don't understand how my anger is misapplied here.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#383
post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may or may not have something to say about this, but not here, and not now. Can we please just let the family grieve? We are the family.

How about saying your sorry. Someone was asking for help and mr. edw519, just spit in his face with such absurd comments. Lets take a step back. Would you spit in the face of someone asking for help. What type of patronizing comments did edw519 make? He still hasn't said sorry and that tells me all I need to know about him and his ego. Shame on the members that supported edw519

Either you are new here, in which case you don't know Ed well enough to be leaving comments like this one, or you are a troll, or you are a regular member hiding behind a newly-created anonymous account.

Either way, stop it.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#384

It must have been hard on him to see his peers throwing him to the wolves. I think he could have tried harder to appeal to the hacker community, or maybe he couldn't for legal reasons, and that's yet another travesty revealed here. His case was muddy. He did a few things that most of us would never do without expecting to be punished. He deserved a slap on the wrist, not to be robbed of his assets and locked up for y…

Well said.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#385
post #312
post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may or may not have something to say about this, but not here, and not now. Can we please just let the family grieve? We are the family.

I'll be honest, I thought the same thing as Ed originally. It's a tragic story and I'm sure there is much to learn but let the family grieve rather than make click bait and throw people to the wolves ( ironically what this article is commenting on)

How should people who though like you and ed act differently now?

Aaron did not receive enough help on his defense bills. This likely part of the reason he is now dead, but only part of it.

Given this how should actions change, if at all? If you think the world would be better if people that held similar opinions to you ed's were slightly different, how should they be different and what argument would have moved you in that direction earlier?

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#386
post #260
post #104

[deleted]

I may or may not have something to say about this, but not here, and not now. Can we please just let the family grieve? We are the family.

You should have "manned up" and stood by your own words. But you seem to have deleted everything you said about Aaron.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#387
post #380

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm really sorry to hear about your struggles, and I sincerely hope you are doing better now. I did want to mention that the new DSM (and even the current one) does cover situations such as yours. I understand the reluctance to call duress (whether that be social, emotional, etc) "mental illness" and surely an argument can be made that it is not, however in some ways it is. I think the real point here is that there a…

I am 47. I did two rounds of therapy, in my teens and twenties. My primary stressors these days are financial. Still working on that. Have a great day/evening/whatever.

I can definitely understand the financial stressors. That can be hard to nail down.

Great to hear you are doing well otherwise.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#388
post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may or may not have something to say about this, but not here, and not now. Can we please just let the family grieve? We are the family.

How about saying your sorry. Someone was asking for help and mr. edw519, just spit in his face with such absurd comments. Lets take a step back. Would you spit in the face of someone asking for help. What type of patronizing comments did edw519 make? He still hasn't said sorry and that tells me all I need to know about him and his ego. Shame on the members that supported edw519

@thaumaturgy

Why don't you stop defending such a crass comment. What does it say about you. Your basically supporting Ed comments.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#389

I see zero inconsistency between on one day saying that someone should take personal responsibility for their activism, and on another day regretting that this same person took their own life. The notion that Aaron's legal position caused his suicide is an opinion of many people on this board. Despite the numbers of those holding this opinion, it is still only an opinion, and needn't be read as fact for any other ana…

You could perhaps see the consistency also between rallying round a cause and making a difference to the status quo. These "opinions" are shared by his family, read the statement. _You_ are problematic.

You are advocating for your beliefs (here, ironically, freedom of information) by insisting that others surrender their freedom of thought.

I don't mind causing problems for people doing that.

I am terribly sorry for the family and their loss. But that loss does not make them arbiters of responsibility.

Neither do the needs of any cause give anyone the right to dictate what others think or conclude or hold as fact. I could agree with your "cause" 100% and I would still, I hope, oppose this sort of demand for mindless conformity with "correct" opinion.

Re: Aaron Swartz, Asking For Help, 119 Days Ago

#390

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, why didn't he just ask permission?

There is this bit: "It is better to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission". This especially holds true if you're up against what we'll loosely label the establishment here, especially if said establishment is capable of marshalling serious force against you. Once it's done it's done, but during the execution phase just getting the job over with is often the smartest course of action. See the PACER incident for h…

I'm not sure that this forgiveness vs. permission rule works well with civil or criminal law...
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