Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident • Hacker News Board

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#21

Post by southernplaces7 » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:35 PM UTC

jjcob wrote: post #9

throwawayoldie wrote: post #5

[flagged]

I don't get why people can't just keep their stupid opinions to themselves. That guy achieved some pretty amazing stuff, and I loved watching him, but then he starts publicly talking political bullshit to the media and it gets a bit hard to ignore that he is an asshole. A lot of accomplished people are probably assholes in private, but they don't talk about it in public. I wish Baumgartner would have just stuck to ta…

In summary: "Why does this guy have to have his own mind, filled with opinions and beliefs that I happen to not like, and then actually talk about them publicly?"

Grow up. One isn't an automatic asshole just because they don't share your worldview.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#22

Post by throwawayoldie » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:36 PM UTC

southernplaces7 wrote: post #21

jjcob wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get why people can't just keep their stupid opinions to themselves. That guy achieved some pretty amazing stuff, and I loved watching him, but then he starts publicly talking political bullshit to the media and it gets a bit hard to ignore that he is an asshole. A lot of accomplished people are probably assholes in private, but they don't talk about it in public. I wish Baumgartner would have just stuck to ta…

In summary: "Why does this guy have to have his own mind, filled with opinions and beliefs that I happen to not like, and then actually talk about them publicly?" Grow up. One isn't an automatic asshole just because they don't share your worldview.

Wrong. Not all opinions are equally valid.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#23

Post by shigawire » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:38 PM UTC

southernplaces7 wrote: post #21

jjcob wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get why people can't just keep their stupid opinions to themselves. That guy achieved some pretty amazing stuff, and I loved watching him, but then he starts publicly talking political bullshit to the media and it gets a bit hard to ignore that he is an asshole. A lot of accomplished people are probably assholes in private, but they don't talk about it in public. I wish Baumgartner would have just stuck to ta…

In summary: "Why does this guy have to have his own mind, filled with opinions and beliefs that I happen to not like, and then actually talk about them publicly?" Grow up. One isn't an automatic asshole just because they don't share your worldview.

It's just about going outside your expertise.

There's some things I know a bit about... But if I was spouting off about skydiving when I know little about it, that makes me an asshole. Especially, to extend the metaphor, if I was spreading misinformation that led to people being hurt.

Anyways, like I always say, parachutes are optional really.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#24

Post by more_corn » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:39 PM UTC

I always appreciate when a daredevil dies doing what he loves. Seriously, these people don’t want to die in bed. They want to live, live, live and then blink out. I’ve seen too many people withering away in hospital beds.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#25

Post by southernplaces7 » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:39 PM UTC

From Wikipedia:

"On 13 July 2016, Facebook deleted his fan page of 1.5 million fans. Baumgartner subsequently claimed that he must have become "too uncomfortable" for "political elites".[48]"

Because of his pro-right viewpoints. For one thing, it's slightly amusing considering Zuckerberg's own politically convenient pirouettes on politics and management. Secondly, it reminds me why the argument was very much on the mark that social media in those days absolutely did work hard to shut don all kinds of opinions that didn't fit with dominant groupthink.

It's idiotic that a famous figure should be subject to such a deletion as soon as they deviate from a specific progressive discourse, even if one disagrees with its opposite in so many ways.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#26

Post by shadowgovt » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:41 PM UTC

RamblingCTO wrote: post #12

toomuchtodo wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some grace is needed, as a medical event was the root cause. edit: unexpected unconsciousness is not a medical event?

all we know is that we became unconscious, right?

As generally people don't just nod off flying a paraglider, a medical event is extremely likely even if it has not been officially determined.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#27

Post by jjcob » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:43 PM UTC

postsantum wrote: post #14

[flagged]

It's relevant because that's what most people in Austria remember him for.

First he got famous for the Sky Dive from space

Then he made headlines for his facebook posts, sharing questionable opinions with the media, and supporting right wing politician like Strache (who is currently on trial for embezzling party money to fund his lavish lifestyle).

It's a part of his public persona, not mentioning it would be weird. It's not like he shared his questionable views in private.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#28

Post by kleton » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:43 PM UTC

jjcob wrote: post #9

throwawayoldie wrote: post #5

[flagged]

I don't get why people can't just keep their stupid opinions to themselves. That guy achieved some pretty amazing stuff, and I loved watching him, but then he starts publicly talking political bullshit to the media and it gets a bit hard to ignore that he is an asshole. A lot of accomplished people are probably assholes in private, but they don't talk about it in public. I wish Baumgartner would have just stuck to ta…

Celebrities voice their political opinions in public for the same reasons you are right now. They have a strongly-held belief and want to improve their city, nation, or world. And given that they are well-known, feel a duty to use this platform to advance their beliefs.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#29

Post by shadowgovt » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:45 PM UTC

southernplaces7 wrote: post #21

jjcob wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get why people can't just keep their stupid opinions to themselves. That guy achieved some pretty amazing stuff, and I loved watching him, but then he starts publicly talking political bullshit to the media and it gets a bit hard to ignore that he is an asshole. A lot of accomplished people are probably assholes in private, but they don't talk about it in public. I wish Baumgartner would have just stuck to ta…

In summary: "Why does this guy have to have his own mind, filled with opinions and beliefs that I happen to not like, and then actually talk about them publicly?" Grow up. One isn't an automatic asshole just because they don't share your worldview.

No, but they might be if they advocate for a "moderate dictatorship" to replace a democracy.

Re: Extreme skydiver Baumgartner dies in paragliding accident

#30

Post by shadowgovt » Thu, Jul 17, 2025, 7:46 PM UTC

mathiaspoint wrote: post #17

mschuster91 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In recent years, he made headlines of a different sort with controversial political statements, criticizing German and Austrian migration policies and opining that a "moderate dictatorship" would be preferable to a democracy, in which "you can't move anything." That's putting it mildly. The full quote [1] is: > Wie weit sind wir bereit unsere Identität und unsere Kultur aufzugeben und sie zu vermischen mit einer vö…

[flagged]

Hacker News is not an appropriate forum to debate "great replacement theory."