7 ms·
51 hours left to live
- dralison 16y agoWhat does this have to do with startups? If you're an entrepreneur there are times you wonder how you can get through the tough times. This post helps put that into perspective. Most profound thoughts I think I've ever read on the interwebs. Hard for me not to get emotional reading through them.
- edo 16y agoHumbling.
- csomar 16y agoReally sad, it made me think that I'm going to die in some unknown day and circumstances...
- ck2 16y agoMen have a 1 in 2 chance of getting cancer and then 1 in 4 of dying from it. Women 1 in 3 getting, 1 in 5 dying. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probability-of-developing-or-dying-from-cancer http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probabili... Make every day count!
- barrkel 16y agoThose are interesting statistics, because I would guess that if you asked people about gender-specific cancers, the first thing that would pop into their head would be breast cancer, perhaps testicular cancer, then cervical cancer.
- ilikepi 16y agoI imagine prostate cancer would be in that list, too.
- pbhjpbhj 16y agoI'm pretty sure that was his point - I think it's widely known that breast cancer gets a lot of attention despite, as that table shows¹, not being more prevalent in those places than prostate cancer (indeed less risk of developing breast cancer in the table: 1-in-8 vs 1-in-6). Breast cancer does have a marginally higher mortality rate in those figures though (both are listed as 1-in-36 die). -- 1 http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probability-of-developing-or-dying-from-cancer http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probabili...
- watchandwait 16y agoYet American government is wasting billions on TSA chasing imaginary bombs on grandmas flying to Peoria. We should be pouring everything into cancer research. Imagine the economic boom from a cure (or series of cures), let alone the benefit to humanity!
- throwaway_2011 16y agoMy worst fear is actually not to die. I don't believe in hell and the worst that can happen is that I stop to exist. My worst fear is the process of dying itself. After watching a close family member die of cancer, that process frightens me. If I end up in a similar situation, I'll move to Oregon as well.
- kenjackson 16y agoMy worst fear is to stop existing. I can't fathom that one day I'll just be done. That's it. Not watching the world on some big screen TV. Not appreciating what I've done. Just done, and eventually no one will have ever known I was here. I used to hope that as I approached death that I'd be so fulfilled with life that I'd be ready to go. I still hope that, but I'm less convinced that it will be so. It almost seems like suffering before death is to make the transition easier. To me it just all kind of sucks, so I consciously try not to think about it much. It's one thing I have little say over.
- forensic 16y agoThis is why psychologists say you shouldn't draw foregone conclusions. You are assuming that death means non-exsistence, you should suspend your judgement, there is no benefit to jumping to conclusions.
- jquery 16y agoWhat comforts me is I believe that I will go to the same place I was before I was born. I don't know what exactly that is, but it led to me being alive. Can't be all bad. :-)
- khafra 16y agoThat is not dead which can eternal lie; and with strange aeons even death may die. http://alcor.org http://alcor.org http://www.cryonics.org http://www.cryonics.org
- holdenc 16y agoFor some reason I am reminded for Steve Jobs' Stanford graduation speech when he says "you will die one day." In the video, it seems to roll off the audience as a cliche. But, it seems to have tempered much of his career with fearlessness, and the willingness to take risks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA
- rmobin 16y agoIt's so hard to think like this. I've read and watched this speech many times over the years, and I always thought it was awesome - but it never changed my behavior. I'm working on that more recently because I realize the power of understanding how many things "fall away in the face of death".
- jedsmith 16y ago> 12,588 up votes 10,018 down votes That's a fascinating look at peoples' reactions to this. A reminder of mortality split right down the middle.
- dralison 16y agoThat's another aspect of this I find fascinating; how this impacts people in an online world. What got me was when he said this was his way of getting out into the world and meeting people. Then there are hundreds of comments from people saying where they are in the world. That was an emotional gut punch for me though I can't really explain why.
- trin_ 16y agothe reddit admins have repeatedly stated, that these numbers are bogus. its a anti-spam measure to throw off bottting attempts.
- jedsmith 16y agoHardly. They're fudged a bit as you say, but they're quite close to reality. Enough that I'd look at the proportion instead of the exact numbers, which is the meaning I was attempting to drive home. The numbers are fudged by a very small amount in a certain direction, based on my observation. I observed this by refreshing one of my own submissions and watching it gain a vote or lose a vote, and I knew exactly how many people had voted on it because it was in a purpose-created subreddit. One of the admins that lurks Hacker News can probably set us straight on which is correct. I love that whenever I make a comment here even loosely related to Reddit, someone takes it upon themselves to assume that I've never even been to the site and condescend based on what they think they know. My comment wasn't even remotely about Reddit, but thanks for the correction.
- chaosmachine 16y agoFudged a bit? The numbers are almost completely fictional, and get more so the higher the total. http://i.imgur.com/U8B1X.jpg http://i.imgur.com/U8B1X.jpg Displayed numbers: 9498 Up, 6876 Down. Real numbers: 2666 Up, 140 Down. You cannot judge proportion by looking at the numbers Reddit shows.
- rick_2047 16y agoOkey this is ridiculous!!!! First the guy who patches a software with Morse code and then this guy who would rather have a AMA with strange people before he dies. News flash people, there are actual human beings around you who you should talk to rather than computers or an anonymous crowd you do not know.
- joezydeco 16y agoAnd yet, here we are.
- Mz 16y agoYes, every time I see a comment like this on some email list dismissing the value of internet relationships as not really real, I bite my tongue and resist the temptation to ask "then why are you here?"
- rick_2047 16y agoI am here because I am not going to die in 51 hours and have a lot of time to spare.
- Mz 16y agoHaving spent a year at death's door, I can assure you that when you are physically unable to go out and get a life, the internet beats the hell out of laying in bed and staring at a blank wall (which I got so fucking sick of, I bought a screen to cover the damn wall and later put curtains over it so I wouldn't have to stare at the damn blank wall ever again).
- rick_2047 16y agoPhone calls?? Anyone?? There are plethora of people I would like to call.
- 16y ago
- j4pe 16y ago"Why do ordinary thoughts gain such credibility just because their source is dying?" I feel a bit guilty for thinking like this while reading the thread. Maybe a raw vision of mortality makes us emotional, less cynical, and we're more receptive as a result. Maybe we look to last words as an encapsulation of a person's life philosophy, as if they became wiser in the knowledge of imminent death. Or maybe an overly detached analysis is just another reaction to a reminder that we're going to die.
- forensic 16y agoBecause dying people have few ulterior motives. It's ancient wisdom that dying people speak the truth. "Living" people with "stuff to say" are more often than not full of bullshit.
- ajays 16y agoIt used to be that a dying person's confession was considered unvarnished truth in a court of law. More on "Dying Declaration" at the Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_declaration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_declaration
- Mz 16y agoSomeone on HN once suggested I do an AMAA on Reddit. I didn't get it. This post makes me want to do one. I wish Lucidending well. My impetus has nothing to do with "rebutting" the idea of right to die. I got well in part because I stopped trying to live. At one time, my whole goal was to just hurt less. Suicide would have been gladly welcomed, so I understand why one would do that. I just think it's sad that this is what conventional medicine has to offer. Of course, I completely suck at starting conversations and can't think of a Reddit handle to use.:-/ So this may never fly.
- reason 16y agoWhat is sad about what conventional medicine has to offer?
- Mz 16y agoIf you read his comments, he has been battling cancer for 6 years. He has apparently had multiple surgeries. He is stopping the medication so he can have a "lucid ending" and spend some quality time with family and friends. He has been tortured by chemo. He plans on having jello as his last meal so he doesn't "mess" himself again. I have cystic fibrosis. I've gotten off of 8 or so prescription drugs. The drug side effects were crippling. I was miserable and unemployable. My sister has been battling cancer for 11 years or more. I belong to email lists for people with CF. I've heard lots of stories like this. What conventional medicine does is pretty gruesome. I am getting well. I only wish I could more effectively share that information. BTDT, got the t-shirt and it saddens me that so many people are doomed to the same fate as Lucidending. Edit: I would be seriously interested in knowing why this is being downvoted. There is something wrong with finding a better way and wishing to share it and thinking it sucks that other people are suffering so horribly?
- reason 16y ago"What conventional medicine does is pretty gruesome." What are you talking about? Chances are you would've died a century ago because of the lack of effective treatments for CF. There are people who have dedicated their entire lives to researching the genetic mechanisms that lead to CF, not to mention the efforts being led to better understand those behind cancer. I think you need to give conventional medicine some credit.
- swankpot 16y agoWhat is AMA?
- davidedicillo 16y agoThat thread provoked two distinct reactions in me. One was I shouldn't spend more the necessary at my desk working, when there's is an entire world out there to live and experience because you never know when the day will come. The other is I want to really accomplish what I'm working hard for, so that I could feel like I succeed in my goals.
- pizzaman 16y agowhich leaves you back to your desk working :-(
- charlesju 16y agoThis is way too sad for Sunday morning. I wish you the best if you read HN.
- deleted 16y ago[deleted]
- tdrgabi 16y agoInteresting graphic. I never realized that small pox was the biggest plague.
- whateverer 16y agoAnd CISCO predicts that in 2011 30,864.50 Petabytes of data will be transmitted in the Internet, among which will be your 176-character message. Why are we discussing this again?
- DanielBMarkham 16y agoI 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 agoYou 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 agoIt'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 agoI 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.
- xd 16y agohttp://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fy6yz/51_hours_left_to_live/c1jj0u4 http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fy6yz/51_hours_left_to...
- georgieporgie 16y agoIsn't it a bit odd that everyone takes this at face value? Doesn't it seem like a bit of a fantastic story to appear on Reddit on Saturday? I'm suspicious that people are having their emotions toyed with for someone's entertainment.
- nandemo 16y agoA lot of IAMAs are trolls. But it doesn't mean everyone believes, it's just selection bias. The people who don't take it at face value stay quiet because you're not supposed to be skeptical about it, that would be "insensitive". Personally I find it odd that someone who "has just found Reddit" would take the trouble to do an IAMA instead of, I dunno, anything else in their last hours.
- forwardslash 16y agoYour suspicion has been echoed in other threads since the poster has yet to confirm you who he is in real life, 'just found reddit' and knew enough to create an AMA and 'lost his password'. In all likely-hood this could be a Munchausen by Internet[1]. [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchausen_by_Internet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchausen_by_Internet
- dustingetz 16y agoI felt compelled to collect his responses. http://blog.dustingetz.com/51-hours-left-to-live http://blog.dustingetz.com/51-hours-left-to-live
- billpaetzke 16y agoHis best quotes: On life: Nothing we have is worth hurting anyone else for. It's all fleeting, people. Stop seeing race, color, sex, religion, etc... They're all just people, and if you try to love them you won't lose anything. On suicide (of an otherwise healthy person): It's not living that's failed him, it's life. We can always change our life as long as were living. On regret: Yes, one. I bought my high school sweetheart an engagement ring and never gave it to her. Life happened, meaning I was dumb. I went in the military after a dumb fight and... yeah just one. On fear: What long term risk is there in saying hello? I can't find any. Worst case is you get some possessive asshole that thinks your hitting on his sister, and you get a black eye. Total pain and shame lasts maybe a month. Meeting the right girl though lasts forever. So you tell me, would you trade a month of shame for a life of happiness?
- DLWormwood 16y agoAs a 38 year old bachelor, I wish I learned that lesson about fear in my youth, I was one of those “possessive assholes” due to being a Fundamentalist, and regret my social hostility to this day.
- bugmenot 16y agoBlame it on being a Fundamentalist if you wish, but you'd do better to just take responsibility for it.
- billpaetzke 16y agoI was inspired and wrote a blog post expanding on the fear quote. Check it out, if you like. http://www.modernsutra.com/2011/03/a-month-of-shame-for-a-life-of-happiness/ http://www.modernsutra.com/2011/03/a-month-of-shame-for-a-li...
- deleted 16y ago[deleted]
- fecklessyouth 16y agoI really enjoy HN commentary about Reddit. It's like an audit--a smaller, more focused group offering insight about all the stuff that goes on in the bigger group.
- old-gregg 16y agoThe most shocking to me was this quote: "I don't have a home, it was consumed in medical bills."
- jpadkins 16y agowhy is that shocking? Not to sound heartless but doctors, nurses and medication are expensive. Treatment for cancer is expensive. People who work in healthcare deserve to get paid, right? Houses are usually people's largest source of savings. So when people deplete their savings to save their life, why is it shocking?
- old-gregg 16y agoBecause charging money for medical treatment is medieval. But apparently one needs to be born and raised outside of the US to see that clearly.
- mkramlich 16y agoway off-topic post for HN. halfway to pictures of kittens.
- statictype 16y agoI feel like downvoting this post simply because it's so depressing. I think I just shot the rest of my day.
- elliottcarlson 16y agoHe just created a second thread within the last 10 minutes: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fyqpi/26_hours_left_to_live/ http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fyqpi/26_hours_left_to...
- louislouis 16y agoonly in death are you truly free.
- Jach 16y agoMade a reddit throwaway to ask why he's not on a cryonics plan, I wonder if he'll reply.
- resdirector 16y agoJust an observation, the difference between Hacker News and reddit, in this instance, is stark.
- camdykeman 16y agoI was going to write on this yesterday but decided not to at the last minute for whatever reason. At that time there were 4 comments on this post. Between then and now there have been an additional 104. Whether you approve of the post or not, I think we can all agree that there is value to be found in the level of response it has received. Maybe the post is appropriate, maybe its not. But its gotten people talking about something we often try to ignore and in that sense I cant help but appreciate it.
- runjake 16y agoI feel saddened but fortunate this person shared their last days on Earth with a bunch of us strangers. I've done a lot of reflecting on what was said & discussing it with my family, one of whom (my mother) having terminal cancer herself. We faced a lot of uncomfortable issues honestly after we had read the thread. I avoid Reddit these days, but this is gold. I'm indebted to this man/woman for their effect on my life. This person will leave strong echoes in the world after their passing.
- soulclap 16y agojust wanted to say 'thank you' for submitting this. the amount of love in the comments is overwhelming. (and it might be a naive and inappropriate thing to say but it's odd that it takes 'facing death' in order to gather that amount of love on the webs. or wherever.)