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>>Richard Stallman told me of his misery and that he’d kill himself if I didn’t go out with him. I said exactly that many times to girls when I was a teenager.

>>Richard Stallman told me of his misery and that he’d kill himself if I didn’t go out with him. I said exactly that many times to girls when I was a teenager. It was a joke. Taken out of context, those phrases can mean anything good or bad.

Arainach 6y ago
There is no context in which this is acceptable. It is emotional abuse regardless of whether you consider it a joke. Based on all other anecdotes of RMS' behavior around women, there is zero basis for believing that this was intended for amusement rather than emotional manipulation.
- aortega 6y ago
  >There is no context in which this is acceptable. Oh for christ's sake. Have you ever tell a joke to talk to a girl?
  - Arainach 6y ago
    Plenty of times. I've never threatened to do violence to myself or anyone else depending on their response, however - and neither has anyone I know, nor has any non-abusive person.
    - aortega 6y ago
      Do you take everything literally? Who are you, Drax the destroyer?
- AussieWog93 6y ago
  Based on anecdotes of RMS, I'd say it's most likely that he was actually feeling suicidal.
deleted 6y ago
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yongjik 6y ago
I've never even heard someone talking like that when I was a teenager, and if I had, my reaction (and the reaction of most of my friends) would have been "Oh wow, geez..." Maybe girls around you found it funny, I don't know, but women around Stallman clearly didn't. It's not a joke if nobody finds it funny. Also, apparently it's controversial, but being unable to distinguish "telling a joke" from "creeping people out" should disqualify anyone from being a public figurehead. It's like a software engineer not being able to tell bubble sort from quicksort.
dsr_ 6y ago
... and then you stopped, because you learned it wasn't socially acceptable, right?
DanBC 6y ago
> It was a joke. Can you explain the joke? What's the set up? What's the punchline? What expectations are being subverted? Is it somehow a pun? You're claiming it's a joke, but I struggle to see how this works on any level as a joke.

Arainach 6y ago

There is no context in which this is acceptable. It is emotional abuse regardless of whether you consider it a joke. Based on all other anecdotes of RMS' behavior around women, there is zero basis for believing that this was intended for amusement rather than emotional manipulation.

aortega 6y ago
>There is no context in which this is acceptable. Oh for christ's sake. Have you ever tell a joke to talk to a girl?
- Arainach 6y ago
  Plenty of times. I've never threatened to do violence to myself or anyone else depending on their response, however - and neither has anyone I know, nor has any non-abusive person.
  - aortega 6y ago
    Do you take everything literally? Who are you, Drax the destroyer?
AussieWog93 6y ago
Based on anecdotes of RMS, I'd say it's most likely that he was actually feeling suicidal.

deleted 6y ago

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yongjik 6y ago

I've never even heard someone talking like that when I was a teenager, and if I had, my reaction (and the reaction of most of my friends) would have been "Oh wow, geez..." Maybe girls around you found it funny, I don't know, but women around Stallman clearly didn't. It's not a joke if nobody finds it funny. Also, apparently it's controversial, but being unable to distinguish "telling a joke" from "creeping people out" should disqualify anyone from being a public figurehead. It's like a software engineer not being able to tell bubble sort from quicksort.

dsr_ 6y ago

... and then you stopped, because you learned it wasn't socially acceptable, right?

DanBC 6y ago

> It was a joke. Can you explain the joke? What's the set up? What's the punchline? What expectations are being subverted? Is it somehow a pun? You're claiming it's a joke, but I struggle to see how this works on any level as a joke.