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theabortionator
April, 2025

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RIP Aaron Swartz

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andrew.ski
Posts: 368 - Karma: 69
The internet activist, boy genius, and co creator of something we all love, reddit, was found dead today. It was an apparent suicide.

Smart guy - completely revolutionized a lot of things for us - sad day
12 years ago
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coolflash8
Posts: 3171 - Karma: 2,049
sucks
12 years ago
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bo0b
Posts: 2964 - Karma: 996
I don't love reddit.
12 years ago
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OfficerStupidity
Posts: 25 - Karma: 4
Cool.
12 years ago
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stickski
Posts: 1938 - Karma: 1,529
ya.. I've never even used it
12 years ago
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baethoven
Posts: 4953 - Karma: 337
I can only feel so bad, when someone takes their own life.

I've known plenty people who've died young of accidents or natural causes, had way less (material wealth), and would have loved to keep living.

To have so much and take your own life is one of the most selfish and stupid things you can do. I understand he was facing some legal trouble and was depressed, but there's always a way.

What a waste of talent. Although he did accomplish quite a bit in his short time.

RIP
12 years ago
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
You clearly dont understand depression. Suicide is not selfish or stupid. Respect what you have no understanding of by shutting the fuck up for the rest of this thread please and thank you.
12 years ago
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baethoven
Posts: 4953 - Karma: 337
My older brother died when I was going into HS which ultimately lead to my parents to divorce. You know nothing of being depressed, kindly shut the fuck up and leave me alone please and thank you.
12 years ago
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LiquorLanch
Posts: 1909 - Karma: 1,046
He was looking at decades in jail and was set to be tried soon
12 years ago
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Ribss.
Posts: 3442 - Karma: 3,344
You know, in some ways he is right. I have known teens in similar situations to the ones he described. Taking your life is never the right way to go eats for cowards straight up. People who are too scared to face their problems and take the easy way out. I just glad he didn't turn his death into a mass shooting.

You are right about depression though, it is something that most people do not understand and it seems like an infinite black hole when you are experiencing it. I just got antidepressant and thank fucking god. So much happier nowadays.

Anyways I am not trying to belittle this guy's passing. It is sad that he felt he was in a situation that he needed to take his life. RIP.
12 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52480 - Karma: 172,691
I've never been on reddit or heard of him but that sucks.
12 years ago
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crab_pretzel
Posts: 3919 - Karma: 622
very well put
12 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
soooo, let me get this straight.. this guy does something illegal. something he knows it illegal. he gets busted for it. he's then about to feel the wrath of the law for his actions so decides to take the cowards way out and hang himself. I sure hope nobody is expecting sympathy from me
12 years ago
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
What for?
12 years ago
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11661 - Karma: 24,358
Only because reddit sucks for copying and pasting news articles
12 years ago
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
You clearly dont understand depression. Suicide is not selfish or stupid. Respect what you have no understanding of by shutting the fuck up for the rest of this thread please and thank you.
12 years ago
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andrew.ski
Posts: 368 - Karma: 69
no he was being prosecuted for legally downloading too many free articles on an academic server @ MIT, and the DOJ was trying to say he downloaded it with the intent to share the files - he hadn't done anything yet . Get your facts straight you senseless POS.


And to what some of you have said before, yeah reddit isnt the most amazing thing in the world, but its the combination of everything put together - collab with wikipedia, contributions to creative commons (have you, when he was 14 or 15), the creation of RSS (i use that every day), and lastly Reddit. I just put reddit up there cause so many of the things we talk about in NSG have been probably found on reddit. Just saying..
12 years ago
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andrew.ski
Posts: 368 - Karma: 69
ref:

12 years ago
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~~~~~~~~
Posts: 2345 - Karma: 2,104
you deserve a good solid punch to the face.
12 years ago
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KZA
Posts: 3304 - Karma: 301
Kind of a stupid thing to do considering they offered him a plea deal of 6 months. Sounds much better than 36 years or whatever they end up trying to prosecute him for.
12 years ago
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jahmin44
Posts: 638 - Karma: 37
The ignorance in this thread is outstanding. Your are arguing about whether or not suicide was the cowardly and selfish way out. What you all fail to realize is that you are ASSUMING his legal troubles, and legal troubles alone are what lead to his suicide.
12 years ago
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Dr.Dro
Posts: 190 - Karma: 16
There are mental problems far deeper than meer depression. Depression may be just one of manny issues with in a person that commits suicide. They are un-able to see their life and the world clearly, and for them they think the only way out of it is death. Its hard for many people to understand. A person who kills them self generally doesn't understand the whole toll of the action they are imposing. Its far deeper than just depression. They usually have some sort of mental illness. They are unable to think like a healthy human being.
12 years ago
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
Meh, who gives a shit?
12 years ago
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ILLinoisance
Posts: 3527 - Karma: 5,398
Are you implying that there is a direct correlation between material wealth and personal happiness?
12 years ago
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
Are you seriously suggesting that, for the most part, there isn't? I understand there are anomalous cases, but you can't tell me you'd be less happy than you are today if I dropped 10 million bucks in your pocket tomorrow.
12 years ago
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,311
This requires some scientific research.
I volunteer myself as the test subject.
Ten million in Euros please.
12 years ago
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ILLinoisance
Posts: 3527 - Karma: 5,398
If you were to give that money to someone who was clinically depressed, they would most likely be temporarily happy. However, odds are, they would eventually return to the state of depression. Money is not a cure for depression.
12 years ago
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
I never implied that, nor is it what you said in the post that I quoted.
12 years ago
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ILLinoisance
Posts: 3527 - Karma: 5,398
I know you didn't, I was just adding another thought.
12 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
no no no. he was willingly and knowingly going beyond the terms of agreement set out by the JSTOR or whoever it was and was breaking rules set by a contract and thus federal law. If you can't handle the heat, yadda yadda yadda. Point was if you're doing something illegal you god damn better be willing to face the consequences. I don't care that I'm in agreement with what he was doing, he shouldn't have done it if he was going to be all pussy and take a cowards exit soon as the going got tough.
12 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
although him having depression certainly changes my views on it..
12 years ago
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,536
Where does it say that he founded reddit? I read an article on the death and they didn't mention that at all.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
Wut? Suicide is absolutely a selfish act. Someone that goes through with it is clearly not thinking about the repercussions they are having on their friends and family, and instead is only thinking of ending their life because they can no longer deal with the current situation they are in. Dont tell that kid to shut the fuck up, he made a good point. Clearly you've been depressed in your past and that somehow makes you think you are entitled to tell people who you ignorantly believe know nothing of the subject to "shut the fuck up for the rest of this thread please and thank you". Grow up.
12 years ago
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KAS
Posts: 1417 - Karma: 68
I just saw something on this guy somewhere. It said he founded reddit and was a huge reason why SOPA was stopped. I'm not sure if that's true, but that's what I saw.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
no.
12 years ago
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,083
just a general observation, might not be accurate here, but suicide can be a result of very intelligent people realizing that life is literally having no "relevant" aspects. like it doesnt matter that you and i are here, nor does it matter if our whole planet gets blown up.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
Sorry for calling out a kid for being ignorant as fuck? Oh wait, I'm not, and I don't give two shits what you or anyone else thinks about my opinion. Go suck a fuck.
12 years ago
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~~~~~~~~
Posts: 2345 - Karma: 2,104
Nice one dude, you sure are enlightening the ignorant masses.
12 years ago
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Bereavement and depression are not the same. I stand by what I said. You do not understand major depression.
12 years ago
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Actually, in a lecture my prof discussed this once. Apparently people who win the lottery or get loads of money quickly are only happier for a bit then return to their usual state of contentedness a short while after.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
Lol at you quoting that.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
"Respect what you have no understanding of by shutting the fuck up for the rest of this thread please and thank you."

That is most definitely an ignorant assumption.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
Oh I was just showing that your "ill-conceived" response was inaccurate.

And that quote wasn't directed at me.

Time for you to go play outside and take a break from the computer.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
Dude, I said go play outside, NOW GO PLAY OUTSIDE
12 years ago
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,083
i read an article in one of those semi-science magazines that the human mind has these "neutralizing" tendencies. some study showed that 6 months after the corresponding event, paralyzed persons were almost as happy as lottery winners.

12 years ago
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
yeah. people are great at synthesizing happiness. if anyone's at all interested, watch this:

12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
What question you cotton-headed ninny-mugger? Usually questions are followed by a...whats it called?...oh thats right, question mark, something your last post was completely void of. Get off the crack man, you don't wanna end up like Tyrone Biggums.
12 years ago
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
You are so fucking retarded it pains me physically.
12 years ago
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11955 - Karma: 12,308
Ditto. Sometimes I wonder how you are even able to medically treat people being a male nurse and all.
12 years ago
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799

I often wonder how I am able to treat people as a nurse too, given the fact that I am not a nurse. It's surpsingly easy. Just wear a little purple and tell people you're going to take care of them and bam, you're a nurse. Nobody has caught on yet, so I must be doing something right. 

12 years ago
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andrew.ski
Posts: 368 - Karma: 69
he was not stealing. MIT has an extremely open policy on their internet use - in fact, they dont even prompt you to agree to their terms when you log on their Wifi - and on top of that he had a legal login to the JSTOR server(s). He downloaded a lot of files, yes, and accidentally crashed the servers, but obviously was not trying to do anything illegal - when they looked at his computer during the trial, he did not try to hide his tracks at all - now this guy is a hell of a lot smarter than us, do you think if he was trying to do something illegal he would even delete his .bash_history file, or even clear his browser history. All he did was write a python script in order to fetch the documents so he didn't have to go one by one and save every file. Since when is that considered "attempting to steal"? Anyways DOJ hops on this gravy train, and theyre like "we hate this motherfucking hacktivist - he and all his friends have been screwing us lately; lets play it off like this guy was stealing all the files with the intent to share them on a p2p website"

and thats how this all came about.
12 years ago
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