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The suicide is hardly beside the point. Please do note that the author is Kevin Poulsen and he writes: "His jury trial was looming when Swartz took his own lif
by easy_rider 13y ago
The suicide is hardly beside the point.
Please do note that the author is Kevin Poulsen and he writes:
"His jury trial was looming when Swartz took his own life in January, 2013.
MIT faced a firestorm of criticism in the wake of Swartz’s suicide. Critics, including Swartz’s family and prominent MIT alumni, said the institution betrayed its own principles by not advocating for less harsh treatment of Swartz."
I can't see how "undid" would point to anything other than his "not being here". His presence being undone. His life being undone.
If he would have been incarcerated for life, I don't think Kevin would use the word "undid". He would print "Free Aaron" stickers, and getting the word out that this fight should not be over.
- alanctgardner2 13y agoMaybe you aren't a native English speaker, so this is a misunderstanding. Despite what it literally means, "to undo" in common English usually just means "screwed over". If he had been convicted and was alive he would still have been "undone" by this video
- easy_rider 13y agoI'm indeed not. Thanks for clarifying, and it could be, but I still think it has a double meaning. Especially in this context I think It's just insinuating and sensational. I've actually never seen this wording being used ever, so for me it seemed quite similar to "doing someone". Yes that also means "screwing someone over" but for me, when reading "undid" a quote from the movie Trainspotting came to mind. "Begbie didn't do drugs either. He just did people" and that involved a knife usually. /edit: Considering the dictionary's definition I will hereby withdraw my suspect of any intent by the author to suggest that another person or entity was responsible for Aaron's death :)
- auxbuss 13y agoFrom the Oxford English dictionary: undo - cause the downfall or ruin of.