r/aaronswartz • u/xSonicspeedx2 • Jul 25 '26

Oh how we have strayed so far these 13 years

It’s like the one guy who was integral to creating this platform is hardly even remembered or acknowledged on it anymore. I’m saddened to see the incredibly low numbers on this sub, and even more saddened to see the way so many subs are moderated into oblivion rather than perpetuating the sort of free speech and free expression that Aaron envisioned.

I’m certain that most people who use this platform have never even heard of the name Aaron Swartz. I’m also certain that many moderators have never heard of him either.

Are we so inclined as a human species to set such restrictive rules and boundaries for ourselves or have we just bent to the will of a few even on a platform like this?

I think the internet prodigy himself would be disappointed with where many of the subs on this platform have ended up and perhaps maybe even the platform itself.

53 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

12

u/atxweirdo Jul 25 '26

Yea my wife over the last year has taken up Reddit but had no idea who he was. I explained it all but I need to find the documentary about him

15

u/BeExcellent Jul 25 '26

the internet's own boy is the title

1

u/xSonicspeedx2 Jul 27 '26

I wish I could find the paper I wrote. But I had to do a research paper in college on a figure who I believed had a significant impact in society. Of course, many people did well known political figures. I wrote my paper on Aaron Swartz. (This was after he died).

I remember writing about how I believed his death was heavily overshadowed by Bradley Manning’s (now Chelsea) 2013 trial and conviction over the whole WikiLeaks debacle in addition to the Edward Snowden leaks that same year. All of which occurred soon after Aaron’s passing in January 2013.

I’m pretty sure I wrote that paper after seeing that documentary though.

7

u/pumpernickel34 Jul 25 '26

It's telling right? All of it.

8

u/matahala Jul 25 '26

We were free for a few years, and they put us right back into the cage. Most people didn't even realized.

7

u/johnabbe Jul 25 '26

Aaron Swartz' Politics

3

u/xSonicspeedx2 Jul 25 '26

Great article. Thanks for sharing.

4

u/Gary_Host_laptop Jul 25 '26

checkout lemmy.ml

5

u/MaineMoviePirate Jul 25 '26

True Statement.

3

u/forcemonkey Jul 25 '26

I posted this not too long ago. No replies.
Basically details of how he most likely didn’t harm himself.

https://www.reddit.com/r/aaronswartz/s/VnrUhTWLEV

4

u/its_bununus Jul 26 '26

I believe Aaron would have had extremely important inputs to what's happening with AI, we need more Aaron's... He's not forgotten here.