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EMC Co-Founder Commits Suicide

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the going-out-on-my-terms dept.

The Register is reporting that EMC co-founder Richard Egan has committed suicide. The article has an interesting look back at some of his accomplishments. "Egan had an amazing life, encompassing involvement in the Apollo space program, the US Marines, starting and building the most successful storage company on the planet, and becoming the US ambassador to Ireland. Finally, aged 73 and facing a lingering death, he ended the battle decisively and on his terms. He was never a shrinking violet."

8 of 538 comments (clear)

  1. "Committed Suicide?" by coaxial · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Suicide" makes it sound like he was depressed. Sounds like this guy wasn't. He decided to go out on his own terms. He chose euthanasia. If only we all had such bravery when facing such a long debilitating decline.

    1. Re:"Committed Suicide?" by BigDXLT · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Some jokes just don't work in text.

    2. Re:"Committed Suicide?" by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      we're 'expected to suffer' because relgion *still* dominates our legal system.

      remove religion and there's zero issue with people killing themselves.

      it really is that simple.

      and yet its not. because people won't let go of explanations that let them sleep easy at night.

      even ones we know are not really true.

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      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    3. Re:"Committed Suicide?" by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Oh come on. The guy had lived his life, was facing pain... for what? He wasn't a teenager, he wasn't middle aged. Doesn't a person have the right to decide when they've had enough?

      You want to know selfish is? Selfish is expecting a terminally ill aged person to endure suffering to slightly prolong an existence that they no longer feel is tolerable, all so that a complete fucking stranger on the internet doesn't have to deal with a moment facing the reality that ALL PEOPLE DIE, before said geek clicks on to the next story, about robot porn or some shit.

      The guy lived his life, saw the end coming and chose not to suffer. The only sad part is that our sick society is in such denial about the inevitability of death that he was forced to choose such a gruesome method rather than having the option of something more peaceful.

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      This space available.
    4. Re:"Committed Suicide?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, because people left behind would never get screwed up seeing you die slowly and painfully, weezing (quite literally) your last in some hospital ward as you gradually lose control of your bodily functions. That would obviously be much less traumatic for them than putting your affairs in order, saying goodbye with dignity and making a (relatively) clean exit.

    5. Re:"Committed Suicide?" by Builder · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As an active skydiver, I'm asking you nicely to pick another one of those choices. It's no fun for anyone standing around the DZ on a nice sunny day when selfish fuck decides to use our sport as his means to kill himself. It's no fun having to watch the paramedics try to save their life when you can see in their eyes they're dead. It's no fun to see the faces of the children who just came to see mummy get strapped to some man and go tandem when they realise that shit on their shoes used to be a living person.

      So do us all a favour, and fuck off.

      I'll leave the other ideas to the active climbers, motorcyclists and others who you'd like to make shit for.

    6. Re:"Committed Suicide?" by RagingFuryBlack · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As an active firefighter in a busy area, I ask too that you please off yourself in a way that doesn't require me to get out of bed at 0-dark-thirty hours, risk myself in an emergency response, and then proceed to cut your dead or dying ass out of a mangled car, or wash your brains off of an interstate highway. I also don't envy the cop who has to tell your next of kin how your stupid ass decided (s)he was being an idiot and killed some guy's innocent kid with your rocket of a motorcycle or corvette.
      Thanks from your local public servant!

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      Warning: Corny karma killing post above.
  2. The EASY way out! by ZackSchil · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What a coward! He should have faced his imminent slow and painful death like a man: by watching his dignity slowly fade away as he soils his bed and sobs uncontrollably about a life ill spent.

    Wait, his life wasn't ill spent, so he realized that everything I just typed is bullshit. Society's attitude towards suicide is fucked up.

    Rest in peace.