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Aaron Swartz commits suicide

tech.mit.edu

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Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#301

Post by finnw »

madaxe wrote: post #156
jacques_chester wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't mean to seem rude, but please, seek help. This doesn't sound like a healthy way to think and feel.

I value my freedom and clarity of mind far more than I do some subjective "happiness", induced by drugs or lengthy stays in facilities, as is the normal treatment for depressive disorders in the UK. The system is not there to help, it's a kafkaesque self-sustaining bureaucracy. I do agree that suicidal thoughts aren't altogether healthy, but I'd also argue that blithely wandering through life without the merest shred…

If you have (or suspect you have) depression, you are lucky to live in the UK, because at least you do not need to worry about being denied health insurance because of a previous diagnosis.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#302

Post by jacquesm »

beadmomsw wrote: post #252

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. Aaron has been depressed about his case/upcoming trial, but we had no idea what he was going through was this painful. Aaron was a terrific young man. He contributed a lot to the world in his short life and I regret the loss of all the things he had yet to accomplish. As you can imagine, we all miss him dearly. The grief is unfathomable. Aaron's mother

I'm terribly sorry for what you have to go through, Aaron was a source of much inspiration to me, thank you for bringing such a wonderful person into the world.

He did more in his short life than most of us will do in much longer ones, but he'll inspire for many years to come.

I wish you and yours much strength.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#303

Post by jrogers65 »

philwelch wrote: post #285
jfoster wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prosecutors could focus on trying to imprison some real criminals rather than bullying someone who is making positive contributions to society for doing something relatively harmless.

It's an essential part of the rule of law that prosecutors prosecute the law as it is, not as they, or we, wish it should be. They aren't the ones to blame for this. To whatever extent they are, we all are.

True, anyone who pays taxes has a hand in this. The issue is that deciding not to pay your taxes means that the dogs are set on you. This is not a free society, unfortunately. Perhaps bitcoin will change all of this. I've been contemplating the idea of a shadow economy where people work remotely and anonymously, getting paid in an anonymous currency and completely circumventing the current economic and political systems. Anyone hiring developers for bitcoins?

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#305

Post by cturner »

neilk wrote: post #283
vor_ wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're essentially arguing that the ends justify the means.

It's called activism. Sometimes bad laws must be resisted, by breaking them deliberately. The best among us do it in public, under their own names, daring the state to make good on their threats. The law is not a unitary piece. Were Aaron's case to proceed to its natural conclusion, the courts might have found that higher principles override the civil agreements that he was charged with breaking. And even when the co…

The parent is narrow, but you beat him up with a position which is also contestable.

For some people, obedience to the law and its flaws, is itself a virtue because of the net win we all have by having a strong rule of law. Others are outraged at abusive exercises of power and find virtue in any struggle against it, even obligation. Others are indifferent to the system and focus on practical experiences. I think when you understand the way that different positions are built up, it's easier not to be heated about this.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#308

Post by dscrd »

doktrin wrote: post #296
zatara wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If anyone is still in doubt about how the DOJ impacted Aaron's life, it may be interesting to have a look at his last published blog post ( http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/tdk , discussion on http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047421 ). Aaron makes a parallel between the Batman movie and his own struggles, highlighting the corruption of the system and how the Joker was actually the only "sane" person in an insane wor…

> "Thus Master Wayne is left without solutions. Out of options, it’s no wonder the series ends with his staged suicide." Haunting. edit : It's an insightful piece of writing purely in its own right, as are the rest of his works that I have come across.

Also, his second to last blog post was an analysis of Looper, which also ends in a sacrificial suicide.

Re: Aaron Swartz commits suicide

#309

Post by [deleted] »

doktrin wrote: post #296
zatara wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If anyone is still in doubt about how the DOJ impacted Aaron's life, it may be interesting to have a look at his last published blog post ( http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/tdk , discussion on http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5047421 ). Aaron makes a parallel between the Batman movie and his own struggles, highlighting the corruption of the system and how the Joker was actually the only "sane" person in an insane wor…

> "Thus Master Wayne is left without solutions. Out of options, it’s no wonder the series ends with his staged suicide." Haunting. edit : It's an insightful piece of writing purely in its own right, as are the rest of his works that I have come across.

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