January 14th, 2013 → 8:06 am @ Lea // No Comments

“[Aaron] is in his grave;
After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well.
Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison,
Malice domestc, foreign levy, nothing,
Can touch him further.”  – Macbeth

In all honesty, I did not know who Aaron Swartz was until he committed suicide on Friday, though his life did touch mine rather directly through the JSTOR imbroglio (a current research project of mine utilizes copious amounts of JSTOR articles, which I had trouble getting because of what he did).  But for some reason, I’m captivated by his life, his death, and everything that’s being written about him now.  I feel like he could have been my friend.  I don’t agree with everything that he did, but I deeply recognize the passion with which he did it.  My heart goes out to him, wherever he is.