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The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

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Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#31

Post by patcon »

s_dev wrote: post #16

"But also, I must admit that I am a little disappointed in Aaron. I understand that depression is a serious disease that can fell any person, however strong. But he chose the path of the activist long ago. And the path of the activist is to fight, for as long and as hard as it takes, to effect change. Aaron had powerful friends, a powerful support network, and a keen sense of moral cause that put him in the right. Th…

I might have sympathized with Atwood's comment before watching the doc, but the film goes into the misery Swartz felt even on the first day of working in the Conde Nast office. He literally barred himself in a bathroom stall and wept. For a unique character like Swartz, the disempowerment of the prison system must have literally seemed a living nightmare.

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#32

Post by tveita »

voteforchange wrote: post #21
zz1 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We should resume who did what: * Massachusetts US Attorney Carmen Ortiz pushed for the prosecution * MIT (can we be more specific?) did nothing to stop the prosecution (to say the least) Please, continue...

Michael Pickett of the secret service who aided MIT's IT staff and security in strong arming Aaron and escalating the case and the relevant charges. His presence and influence was the main factor in pumping up the charges and gathering evidence to support them when this could and should have been a matter between the school and its student.

Aaron Swartz was not a MIT student. From the MIT report:

"Aaron Swartz was neither a member of the MIT staff, nor an enrolled student nor alumnus, nor a member of the faculty. He was a regular visitor to the MIT campus and interacted with MIT people and groups both on campus and off."

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#33

Post by Lawtonfogle »

ohitsdom wrote: post #18
Lawtonfogle wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>an insanely inappropriate and disproportionate legal travesty That is just about every case ever. Even the really bad people, the ones you and I and everyone else reading this agree deserve to be locked behind bars, have their charges trumped up far beyond what they are actually guilty of in an attempt to coerce them to take a plea bargain for lesser charges. To put another way, they are successfully punishing most…

Every case ever has had inappropriate and disproportionate trial/punishment? That's a very outlandish statement. Are you referring to a specific type of crime? A good argument can be made that this is true for many marijuana cases. But you seem to be talking about all crimes...

You missed my 'just about'. And while it might be a little overstated (I haven't seen anyone do a massive sampling to compare what the charges were compared to what they should've been, which is probably a bit subjective), I would consider it in the majority of cases based on the anecdotes I've seen. Anecdotes are definitely imperfect and worse than peer reviewed science, but lacking the latter, the former is better than nothing.

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#34

Post by idlewords »

ionised wrote: post #26
s_dev wrote: post #16

"But also, I must admit that I am a little disappointed in Aaron. I understand that depression is a serious disease that can fell any person, however strong. But he chose the path of the activist long ago. And the path of the activist is to fight, for as long and as hard as it takes, to effect change. Aaron had powerful friends, a powerful support network, and a keen sense of moral cause that put him in the right. Th…

He wouldn't have been engaging in much political activism sitting in a jail cell for 38 years. I can't feel disappointed in Aaron at all. I would probably do the same thing in his position. I'm disappointed in a society and a 'justice' system that pushes for this to happen.

He would never have been sent to jail for 38 years.

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#35

Post by kmeves »

gmu3 wrote: post #29
ionised wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He wouldn't have been engaging in much political activism sitting in a jail cell for 38 years. I can't feel disappointed in Aaron at all. I would probably do the same thing in his position. I'm disappointed in a society and a 'justice' system that pushes for this to happen.

There's actually quite a precedent of engaging in political activism from jail.

absolutely. in fact jail could have been a way to gain more attention, Gandhi?

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#36

Post by angersock »

[deleted] wrote: post #28
Eupolemos wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is how depression sometimes goes. But stupid? Disappointing? These labels are not fit for fate of a severely depressed mind; logic sense ends and the risk of suicide is a roll of the dice, NOT a matter of commitment to who or what we love. All I see is the selfpity of those left behind transformed into cynicism. It is unbecoming. In my humble opinion.

[deleted]

People who don't help don't get to be disappointed.

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#37

Post by epistasis »

angersock wrote: post #24
s_dev wrote: post #16

"But also, I must admit that I am a little disappointed in Aaron. I understand that depression is a serious disease that can fell any person, however strong. But he chose the path of the activist long ago. And the path of the activist is to fight, for as long and as hard as it takes, to effect change. Aaron had powerful friends, a powerful support network, and a keen sense of moral cause that put him in the right. Th…

Yeah, sure, and Atwood has done what exactly to further our causes and rights? Seriously, that article is a bunch of self-indulgent bullshit and Atwood cashing in on the suffering and suicide of an otherwise decent person. EDIT: Thanks for the downvotes. Again, from the Atwood article: "Play other, better moves – and consider your long game." With the charges he was facing, there wasn't a long-term game. According to…

I agree, what a terrible and childish thing for Atwood to write. Whenever he's strayed from restating others' programming aphorisms, I've found that I feel less for having read his essays.

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#39

Post by res0nat0r »

ionised wrote: post #26
s_dev wrote: post #16

"But also, I must admit that I am a little disappointed in Aaron. I understand that depression is a serious disease that can fell any person, however strong. But he chose the path of the activist long ago. And the path of the activist is to fight, for as long and as hard as it takes, to effect change. Aaron had powerful friends, a powerful support network, and a keen sense of moral cause that put him in the right. Th…

He wouldn't have been engaging in much political activism sitting in a jail cell for 38 years. I can't feel disappointed in Aaron at all. I would probably do the same thing in his position. I'm disappointed in a society and a 'justice' system that pushes for this to happen.

It would have been around 6 months if he would have taken the plea deal. If he didn't it still would not have been anything close to 38 years.

Re: The internet’s own boy: the story of Aaron Swartz [video]

#40

Post by ddingus »

res0nat0r wrote: post #39
ionised wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He wouldn't have been engaging in much political activism sitting in a jail cell for 38 years. I can't feel disappointed in Aaron at all. I would probably do the same thing in his position. I'm disappointed in a society and a 'justice' system that pushes for this to happen.

It would have been around 6 months if he would have taken the plea deal. If he didn't it still would not have been anything close to 38 years.

It was the felony and the limits on his future in politics that drove a lot of it.

Some jail time wouldn't have been enough. I think he would have done that. Maybe while in there, bad things might have happened.

But, it was obvious to me Schwartz understood code, people, how to organize and advocacy. He wanted to build a body of people and power and do some things.

To him, a felony conviction undermines all of that, and he saw it as useless, himself useless.

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