What did SOPA have to do with Net Neutrality?
Aaron, 5 years later
41–50 of 133 posts
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#42Well, this transformed from a sad story into a comedy. I didn't even know Aaron Swartz had a yuppie startup bro brother. That's probably why he killed himself. lol, i crack myself up.
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#43Just in case it ever comes to this, if I die, it was NOT a suicide. RIP Aaron, I wish I knew you.
I don't consider Aaron's death a suicide, either. It was not exactly a Magnitsky-style beaten-in-prison death, but overly-zealous prosecutors trying to "make an example" of him had more to do with his death than mental illness.
Note what happened, in that context, when someone who was not an American political activist did what criminal prosecutors were going after Aaron for:
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-woman-has-illegally-upload...
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think Aaron would've been happy with the developments in the field of scientific publishing over the last half decade, had he been able to see them. I've specifically got Sci-Hub in mind here. Sure, it's not exactly legal, but everyone uses it regardless.
It's too bad Aaron and Alexandra Elbakyan never met. They might have made a good team.
She's currently in hiding after Elsevier won an injunction. There's one company I'll be very happy to see the last of.
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
Mental issues are flaws but they don't make a person bad in my book.
Mm, yes and no. It's one of those things where if you reveal you have them, you feel like less of a person. People look at you differently. Be honest: If you were in a position of authority, would you place someone with known suicidal tendencies in a position of power? What if things went very badly? How about someone with outbursts of anger, or serious sleep issues that prevent them from showing up to work on time?…
> Aaron had some political aspirations, and a felony conviction would've precluded him from running for certain offices. Maybe that, combined with his internal issues, may have made him feel like less of a person. I don't know.
If you don't know then don't speculate.
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#46i had no idea he was your brother. sorry for your loss.
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#47I'm happy he died for a good reason
He did not die for a good reason.
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
Mental issues are flaws but they don't make a person bad in my book.
Mm, yes and no. It's one of those things where if you reveal you have them, you feel like less of a person. People look at you differently. Be honest: If you were in a position of authority, would you place someone with known suicidal tendencies in a position of power? What if things went very badly? How about someone with outbursts of anger, or serious sleep issues that prevent them from showing up to work on time?…
The potential consequence of being unfairly persecuted is that you can completely separate your perception of yourself and anyone else's.
The individuals that did this to Aaron are the ones suffering from a mental condition. The transitory struggles of life and emotions are universal and fundamental to living. Systems that embolden constructs like federal prosecutors are what is systemically flawed. Not the individual.
Carl Jung said something interesting about the importance of the ego:
"It was only after the illness that I understood how important it is to affirm one’s own destiny.
In this way we forge an ego that does not break down when incomprehensible things happen; an ego that endures, that endures the truth, and that is capable of coping with the world and with fate...
Nothing is disturbed – neither inwardly nor outwardly, for one’s own continuity has withstood the current of life and of time.”
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#49I didn't know Aaron, I don't remember being that aware of him while he was alive, but I did see the SOPA campaign of course, even in the UK. One day I watched the 'Internets own boy' documentary and was profoundly moved. All of a sudden open source, access to information, freedom from surveillance etc really started to matter to me. In fact that is how I found HN!
When the snoopers charter came in to the UK it was Aarons story (and what I read afterwards) that made me recognise the danger in such legislation. I wrote to my MP for the first time.
Aaron in lots of ways changed my life in that way. Ben I really appreciate your post.
Re: Aaron, 5 years later
#50Blah blah blah. You all are all cunts who won't do anything but will idolize someone who actually tried. None of you cunts did anything to help him when he was alive.