Legal Case Strained Troubled Web Activist | Hacker News Reader

Legal Case Strained Troubled Web Activist

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72 pointslarrys11 comments

This is the first article I've come across that includes statements from his GF. Instead of a private suicide, it is looking more and more like a public tragedy. The last few paragraphs show that he was not 'alone' in the forever-alone-nobody-loves-me sense. He had friends, loved ones, and a special someone who made him smile with tickle fights. Of course, none of these things really matter when you're drowning in the pangs of bipolar lows or depression but they certainly help alleviate some of the pain.

In the absence of the legal case, even the continual cycles of highs and lows is typical for many of us. But I have no idea what I would do if I was faced with financial ruin and a multi-decade no-computer-access prison sentence. My entire life revolves around computers and has done so for 20+ years since I was 10. I changed schools, moved away from loving family, left high-paying jobs, and gave up financial security just to continually pursue the singular passion of my life - programming. The thought of not being able to program is my version of hell. If you tell me I can't code for the rest of my life, I might as well not exist.

As irrational as someone else's suicide always appears, I fail to see a rational response to being in a situation where 10 years of imprisonment is the best possible outcome.

10 years of prison is a long time, but it's hardly the end of life, especially when you're in your 20s to begin with. Yes your aspirations and career will take a massive setback but still, sitting it out is more rational option than suicide.

EDIT: I'm curious as to reason for downvoting, aside from sheer disagreement.

Are you facing prison time? Who knows how the prospect would play on your mind. Perhaps you would be able to compartmentalize it in your mind and be able to handle it.

It may not be so easy for others like Aaron. Everyone deals with these issues differently.

Hate to ruin your ad hominem argument, but many moons ago in a different place I was involved in activism that would land you in prison without due process.

And even if I didn't, it has nothing to do with rationalization of suicide.

Yeah you have all the answers.

If you're a computer activist, 30 years is a long time. The computers 30 years ago were barely considered desktop computers. The first Mac was released in 1984, about 29 years ago. If you have zero access to computers for 30 years, it's basically a death sentence. I probably would've killed myself too, and I've never had depression before.

The original thesis concerned 10 years term; however I'd agree the number doesn't change much in principle.

I can totally understand offing yourself in despair, but let's not pretend it's a rational choice. Nobody has missed their death yet, there are sometimes good reasons to rush it but this is not one of them.

Why? Why is it more rational?

Because you get to live and do whatever you want afterwards and still meet your life objectives?

This guy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mujica) has spent 14 years in prison including two in a solitary pit, with a rat he domesticated as his only companion. He is the country's president now.

People will respond differently when faced with the same challenges. Just because one guy can spend 14 years in prison and 2 in solitary confinement is no reason to assume that we'd all fare that well. Plenty of people commit suicide in prison and never make it to the outside, let alone to become president of their countries.

No objection to that, people are not completely rational agents. I was merely pointing out that suicide in this case is hardly a rational choice.

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