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The Internet's Own Boy
theodp (442580) writes "The Internet's Own Boy, the documentary about the life and death of Aaron Swartz, was appropriately released on the net as well as in theaters this weekend, and is getting good reviews from critics and audiences. Which is kind of remarkable, since the Achilles' heel of this documentary, as critic Matt Pais notes in his review, is that "everyone on the other side of this story, from the government officials who advocated for Swartz's prosecution to Swartz's former Reddit colleagues to folks at MIT, declined participation in the film." Still, writer/director Brian Knappenberger manages to deliver a compelling story, combining interesting footage with interviews from Swartz's parents, brothers, girlfriends, and others from his Internet projects/activism who go through the stages of joy, grief, anger, and hope that one sees from loved ones at a wake. "This remains an important David vs. Goliath story," concludes Pais, "of a remarkable brain years ahead of his age with the courage and will to fight Congress-and a system built to impede, rather than encourage, progress and common sense. The Internet's Own Boy will upset you. As it should." And Quinn Norton, who inadvertently gave the film its title ("He was the Internet's own boy," Quinn said after Swartz's death, "and the old world killed him."), offers some words of advice for documentary viewers: "Your ass will be in a seat watching a movie. When it is done, get up, and do something.""
First, I agree that the data should have been free. I even agree that the investigation into him seemed to be heavy handed.
However, Schwartz made an odd and poor choice in getting to the data. He could have downloaded the data from his own desk in his own office. Instead he went to the library and entered a wiring closet that was clearly not supposed to be open to the public. If he wanted to further his cause, this was a poor choice.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
Hes a pussy that took the cowards way out.
APK, when I see comments like this from people regarding suicides, it tells me immediately that the person making these comments has never felt suicidal. Never been so utterly and completely depressed that death seems the better option at the time. You simply cannot understand this if you have never experienced the feeling.
The tragedy is that many who do don't make it through the experience. I am glad that I didn't go through with it at that point in my life when it seemed the best option... Although, to be honest, it was really only further self-doubt that delayed taking the final plunge long enough for things to start to turn around.
It is a tragedy that Aaron Shwartz didn't make it through for things to start getting better, but there is certainly blame to be shared in his case... We ALL, as a society as a whole, failed Aaron imo.
Which is kind of remarkable, since the Achilles' heel of this documentary, as critic Matt Pais notes in his review, is that "everyone on the other side of this story, from the government officials who advocated for Swartz's prosecution to Swartz's former Reddit colleagues to folks at MIT, declined participation in the film."
It seems to be entirely unremarkable that a story told from only one perspective - presumably the one that shows the main "character" in a positive light - should get good reviews.
Tell it from both sides and you risk leaving the audience with unsatisfyingly ambiguous feelings about the whole affair; it's almost as if life isn't black and white!
No-one likes that in a movie.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
He was bullied into suicide by believable threats of a 50yr prison sentence from authority, just as surely as that 13yr girl was bullied into suicide by a grown woman on facebook a few years ago. The authorities did everything they could to hang that woman even using facebook terms of services against her, and so they should, it is after all their job. But where are the rabid prosecutors that are taking Swartz's tormentors to task? Why have the authorities not pulled out every trick in the book to hang those official bullies with the same fervor and determination they did when pursuing an uneducated, immature soccer mom?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
If there are such "important cases" happening as you have claimed, it should be easy to provide an example of one of these "unsung heroes" facing a 50yr sentence, right?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
And people ask me why I say we're not in any way more free than any other dictatorship. "But we have free speech!" Yeah. But as soon as someone would listen, rest assured that we'll find a way to hang you.
Or get you to hang yourself, for all we care.
"But we can have guns!" So? The laws are rigged to ensure the government has the bigger ones AND the media power to ensure you're smeared as the bad guy enough that everyone supports that artillery strike against your cute little fortress.
You're free to do as you're told.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
A couple of points:
1. I went through the process of someone to get legal help for a software case issue when a huge corp was going after them. While I love the EFF, they generally take a case when they think a precedent could be set in favor of their (and generally my) agenda. If Microsoft sues you to make an example, and the law seems pretty clear, the EFF won't help you. As for other stepping in to help with legal fees, based on past articles (haven't seen the doc) apparently part of the issue he was having was he was under gag orders severe enough preventing him from even asking friends for help. Think about that for a moment.
2. People with clinical depression generally can't ask for help for three general reasons:
(A) Their mindset: I kind of hate this term, but it's a case where normal people have to "check their priveledge" because while what you are saying makes perfect sense if you have a non-depressed mindset. They can be the smartest person you have ever met, but when suffering from depression, how you are feeling is normal to you, a direct result of how you are seeing the world. That you could feel better than you are, even while circumstances or situations are the same, isn't something that makes sense. eg, imagine you are terminally ill with cancer, no prognosis beyond a few months of excruciating pain laying in a bed, so you decide to end it on your terms. It makes perfect and absolute sense to you as the only reasonable option, and to many outsiders. They stop deriving enjoyment from everything: food, music, people, work -- everything.
(B) Lack of energy: Things seem pointless, and the amount of energy to muster basic things seems beyond them, from showering to brushiing their teeth to making a call about how bad things are.
(C) Stigma: This has been slowly changing, but unless you are around people in psych programs every day, the stigma is still there and it is very, very real. Even if the social stigma wasn't, the personal one still is, as no one likes to think there is something wrong with their brain, let alone likes telling people about it.
Also, the hell with beta. I'm going to miss this site.