Richard M. Stallman resigns • Hacker News Board

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#301

Post by smsm42 » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:45 AM UTC

It is interesting that Stallman has been expressing very harsh opinions, unpopular among many people, for decades. Nothing happened to him, on the contrary, he was well respected even among people who did not share his political views and who were frequently on the receiving end of his criticism.

But as soon as he dared to veer a little from the party line in one particular question, he has been unpersoned in literally couple of days, despite all apologies and attempts to explain he didn't really mean any heresy. I guess that shows who you can disagree with and who would really hurt you if they even suspect you might disagree (even though you don't).

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#302

Post by paggle » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:47 AM UTC

naringas wrote: post #114

it's rather interesting how all the information technology (social media, etc...) is slowly moving our culture towards increasing self-censorship. One has to have the right opinion or stay quiet. Having the wrong opinion about certain topics is getting more expensive. Stay away from taboos or else... never mind the fact that what we regard as wrong changes across different societies over time. Weirdly all the informa…

That’s why I mostly use pseudonymous channels these days, like this one. I treat everything I say with my real name like I’m publishing it on the front page of the New York Times and submitting three copies to the Library of Congress.

Many fewer of my current associates hear any real thoughts of mine compared to 20 years ago. I used to get into all kinds of arguments like Stallman’s, on public email lists, which thankfully haven’t surfaced online (yet).

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#303

Post by panny » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:47 AM UTC

I never thought in a million years I'd see the Silicon Valley bubble become so deranged that they'd reverse polarity. Watching HN eat their own liberal legends like Stallman, at the direction of Fox News and NY Post. This is truly astonishing.

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#304

Post by w323898 » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:47 AM UTC

roguecoder wrote: post #261

xlii wrote: post #254

I, as many others, never personally liked Dr. Stallman and didn’t agreed with many of his views. That being said, the way that that happened is absolutely terrifying. Fact, that people rather crucify someone instead of argue, explain or prove him wrong is the sign of our times. End of free speech is here. It’s free only if it doesn’t offend group powerful enough to destroy you, and it’s narrowing every single day. We…

“If you actively harass women at work for literally 30 years and do not stop any of the many, many times people to stop, and then also justify the sexual abuse of children as your job tries to distance itself from it’s collaboration with a know pedophile you might lose your job” doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a situation that will ever be relevant to my life, thank.

I too am very disturbed by the historic records of Stallman's bad behavior. Was he ever forced to take sensitivity training or anything, or did everyone just ignore it?

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#305

Post by anilakar » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:48 AM UTC

friendlybus wrote: post #269

naringas wrote: post #114

it's rather interesting how all the information technology (social media, etc...) is slowly moving our culture towards increasing self-censorship. One has to have the right opinion or stay quiet. Having the wrong opinion about certain topics is getting more expensive. Stay away from taboos or else... never mind the fact that what we regard as wrong changes across different societies over time. Weirdly all the informa…

I agree the internet is getting locked down, it'll end up like daytime tv if we're not careful. But I'm two clicks away from access to Nazi and extremist content right now. The internet still is the wild wild west version of a library, in terms of access to content, but now there's laws and archiving of everything typed and read applied on top of that too. This Stallman case is edge-case fallout from a massive politi…

> He could have probably discussed the age of consent in public pre-2013 and maybe get a few disgusted reactions but generally be fine.

He did. People don't remember, but his home page used to have articles regarding age of consent, which he later took down.

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#306

Post by Zardoz84 » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:48 AM UTC

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#307

Post by paggle » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:49 AM UTC

Uhuhreally wrote: post #216

naringas wrote: post #114

it's rather interesting how all the information technology (social media, etc...) is slowly moving our culture towards increasing self-censorship. One has to have the right opinion or stay quiet. Having the wrong opinion about certain topics is getting more expensive. Stay away from taboos or else... never mind the fact that what we regard as wrong changes across different societies over time. Weirdly all the informa…

Bollocks. Like Ricky Gervais said the other day actually you can say anything you like. People might not agree with you and that's fine.

Gervais is hugely powerful because he has the money to survive being unpersoned. Not everyone is in his position. His comment is like Shaquille O’Neal saying you actually can walk around and punch anyone you like in the face, because nobody retaliates when he does it (just a hypothetical, of course Shaq wouldn’t do that).

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#308

Post by journalctl » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:50 AM UTC

topmonk wrote: post #235

esotericn wrote: post #13

C-x C-c. Thank you for bringing the FSF into the world, Richard. Whatever comes out of this and whatever comes next, your philosophy on software freedom has influenced us in innumerable ways.

"C-x C-c" should become a new rallying cry for valuing technological ability over political beliefs.

Oh good, another dog whistle to look out for.

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#309

Post by thrower123 » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:51 AM UTC

panny wrote: post #303

I never thought in a million years I'd see the Silicon Valley bubble become so deranged that they'd reverse polarity. Watching HN eat their own liberal legends like Stallman, at the direction of Fox News and NY Post. This is truly astonishing.

Chasing wokeness is eventually self-immolation. You can never be pure enough.

Re: Richard M. Stallman resigns

#310

Post by newnewpdro » Tue, Sep 17, 2019, 5:52 AM UTC

I think this is an awful way for the life's work of someone as dedicated and impactful as Richard's to come to an end.

It's an utterly disproportionate consequence for Richard's missteps which amount to nothing more than a discussion in a mailing list.