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I found this post on reddit uncomfortable, and I'm not sure why. It's not because of death with dignity -- I'm a big fan. It's not because of not wanting to fa

I found this post on reddit uncomfortable, and I'm not sure why. It's not because of death with dignity -- I'm a big fan. It's not because of not wanting to face my own mortality -- I know death awaits us all, and for me or some others it may come very soon indeed. Who knows when we will die? But something about it just didn't ring true as something I would want to make happen over and over again. I think perhaps it is the forum and mechanics involved here. Would I want a site where people posted about their deaths and then others voted that post up or down? Then each comment was accordingly ranked? I don't think so. Your life isn't the same as a news article or a blog entry, and it shouldn't be treated as such. Perhaps there is a site for broadcasting your last words to the world at large, and it sounds like something I would want to visit and participate in, but reddit ain't it.

Rhapso 16y ago
You are right. But on the other side of the coin, death is something we can can come to terms with, something we sometimes must come to terms with. The thing that I think you find unsettling roots from the fact you feel you need to prevent discussion of your mortality from being "normal". This man needs his mortality to be a "normal" thing. It is happening to him, and soon, so putting it into a context of "normal" life helps with that.
lwhi 16y ago
It's heartbreaking. I think there's an uncomfortable novelty in having access to such personal period in this person's life. Sometimes, technology can create distance and remove immediacy and impact - but I don't think that's true in this case. There's an obvious undeniable gravity at work - it's important. This kind of story usually only touches us if we're unlucky enough to have friends or family who are experiencing the same. But I find it so difficult to comprehend. Life is fleeting. I know every stage is finite - but it's easy to forget that everything really is temporary. This brings that home for me.
- DanielBMarkham 16y ago
  I agree, and I would have never posted my comment over on the reddit thread. It was displeasurable enough to post it here. I have thought that when faced with my last days, I would like to write a blog article (or, knowing me, a freaking series) kind of wrapping things up. I consider HN sort of my home audience, so I would post these articles over here. But this has got me rethinking that idea. The problem is that then people's lives and final words start competing against each other. What if nobody upvoted my life? Would pg's final words be more important than say, tptacek's? It's just too weird. So yes, every now and then it is humbling and good to be reminded of the extremely temporary nature of our existence. As an existentialist, I try to do so on a daily basis. But in a community of 100K, sadly, somebody is going to be dying on a fairly regular basis. I cannot imagine that having their words competing with the latest iPad for the community's attention. It is not something I want to participate in. But I might be wrong. Like I said, it got me thinking. I am still unsure how I feel about it. My heart goes out to the author of the post over on reddit.
  - Mz 16y ago
    Not to argue with you or anything, but the guy is really not going to see if other people get upvoted more or something. And he recently got an ipad. He was not lucid enough to do stuff on the internet for a long time. He lost his house to his medical bills. The ipad he was probably given as a last wish is probably the coolest, most alive thing he has gotten to do in a long, long time. Talking to a jillion people at the same time when you have had no real social life in ages is like snorting cocaine or something -- woohoo! give me more of that shit! He said it was his best hour of 2011. I hope your final days or hours are good enough that some of the concerns you have expressed will still be relevant for you. But I really don't see how any of them apply in this particular instance.
    - DanielBMarkham 16y ago
      I think you're arguing with me, but that's fine. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel :) It's not whether the person in question experiences one thing or another from their posting. The question is whether or not the tools that the community uses to rank tech gossip should be the same tools as it uses to process final words. I find that a form of monetization of human life, and I'm not in favor of heading down that road. It leads to bad places. Not for the posters, but for the rest of the community. I think your mistake, if you made one, was assuming that my concern was for the feelings of those posting. It is not. It is for the continuing devaluing of human life by technology. The commnenter said that this article reached out and touched him, and I think that's great. If we had 50 on here a week, it would not. And I think that is unacceptable.
deleted 16y ago
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prateekdayal 16y ago
Judging what people do with their last hours .. not so cool :( Its their life (and death) and the least we can do is to not judge their final decisions. Just my two cents. No disrespect to anyone
Xurinos 16y ago
I can pinpoint one part of what it is for me. There is indeed a certain reverence, a certain dignity for those who are dying, bless his soul. However, I always have to remind myself that those who approach death's door are not magically wiser than anyone else. People are often concerned with final words, want to see that perspective of "What if I was about to die? What really matters in life?". And it is never new. People say the same things. Now, if this is the kind of thing that will inspire someone to bring more life to their own existence, then I am okay with it. There is just a line there somewhere. The other part was that this was a choice. I understand the rationalization, and I cannot say I would not choose the same in the same situation. It just does not sit well with me. At the moment, I have too much fight in me.

Rhapso 16y ago

You are right. But on the other side of the coin, death is something we can can come to terms with, something we sometimes must come to terms with. The thing that I think you find unsettling roots from the fact you feel you need to prevent discussion of your mortality from being "normal". This man needs his mortality to be a "normal" thing. It is happening to him, and soon, so putting it into a context of "normal" life helps with that.

lwhi 16y ago

It's heartbreaking. I think there's an uncomfortable novelty in having access to such personal period in this person's life. Sometimes, technology can create distance and remove immediacy and impact - but I don't think that's true in this case. There's an obvious undeniable gravity at work - it's important. This kind of story usually only touches us if we're unlucky enough to have friends or family who are experiencing the same. But I find it so difficult to comprehend. Life is fleeting. I know every stage is finite - but it's easy to forget that everything really is temporary. This brings that home for me.

DanielBMarkham 16y ago
I agree, and I would have never posted my comment over on the reddit thread. It was displeasurable enough to post it here. I have thought that when faced with my last days, I would like to write a blog article (or, knowing me, a freaking series) kind of wrapping things up. I consider HN sort of my home audience, so I would post these articles over here. But this has got me rethinking that idea. The problem is that then people's lives and final words start competing against each other. What if nobody upvoted my life? Would pg's final words be more important than say, tptacek's? It's just too weird. So yes, every now and then it is humbling and good to be reminded of the extremely temporary nature of our existence. As an existentialist, I try to do so on a daily basis. But in a community of 100K, sadly, somebody is going to be dying on a fairly regular basis. I cannot imagine that having their words competing with the latest iPad for the community's attention. It is not something I want to participate in. But I might be wrong. Like I said, it got me thinking. I am still unsure how I feel about it. My heart goes out to the author of the post over on reddit.
- Mz 16y ago
  Not to argue with you or anything, but the guy is really not going to see if other people get upvoted more or something. And he recently got an ipad. He was not lucid enough to do stuff on the internet for a long time. He lost his house to his medical bills. The ipad he was probably given as a last wish is probably the coolest, most alive thing he has gotten to do in a long, long time. Talking to a jillion people at the same time when you have had no real social life in ages is like snorting cocaine or something -- woohoo! give me more of that shit! He said it was his best hour of 2011. I hope your final days or hours are good enough that some of the concerns you have expressed will still be relevant for you. But I really don't see how any of them apply in this particular instance.
  - DanielBMarkham 16y ago
    I think you're arguing with me, but that's fine. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel :) It's not whether the person in question experiences one thing or another from their posting. The question is whether or not the tools that the community uses to rank tech gossip should be the same tools as it uses to process final words. I find that a form of monetization of human life, and I'm not in favor of heading down that road. It leads to bad places. Not for the posters, but for the rest of the community. I think your mistake, if you made one, was assuming that my concern was for the feelings of those posting. It is not. It is for the continuing devaluing of human life by technology. The commnenter said that this article reached out and touched him, and I think that's great. If we had 50 on here a week, it would not. And I think that is unacceptable.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

prateekdayal 16y ago

Judging what people do with their last hours .. not so cool :( Its their life (and death) and the least we can do is to not judge their final decisions. Just my two cents. No disrespect to anyone

Xurinos 16y ago

I can pinpoint one part of what it is for me. There is indeed a certain reverence, a certain dignity for those who are dying, bless his soul. However, I always have to remind myself that those who approach death's door are not magically wiser than anyone else. People are often concerned with final words, want to see that perspective of "What if I was about to die? What really matters in life?". And it is never new. People say the same things. Now, if this is the kind of thing that will inspire someone to bring more life to their own existence, then I am okay with it. There is just a line there somewhere. The other part was that this was a choice. I understand the rationalization, and I cannot say I would not choose the same in the same situation. It just does not sit well with me. At the moment, I have too much fight in me.