Here are links about his life, death and the aftermath.
http://www.technorati.com/search/chris%20mckinstry
The repercussions have impacted the blogosphere in that at least one major software site has shut down its chat forums, because McKinstry left his suicide note on their Forum.
Folks weren't sure if it was a joke or serious. Those who did take it seriously contacted authorities in Chile. To late.
This is the reality of instant communications. That exist in real time. We are used to time slowing, the seven second delay on radio and TV.
When I read news on the internet for instance I am surprised to see it a day later as headlines in the papers. Sometimes articles I find in the news appear days later.
On TV same thing, the 24/7 cable news is the ever present now. Sometimes. Such as the BBC coverage of last years tsunami. Whereas it appeared on the American cable news channels hours later. After the obligatory car chase and missing kids stories.
And communications by email or even in chat rooms can be delayed though the later is almost instantaneous. Which makes it even more foreboding when someone does commit suicide on line. You have no time to talk them down. Unlike phone and face to face communications. You are talking to an anonymous entity in cyberspace who may not be real. And in that time that you have to judge the reality or seriousness of this persons threat, it may be the moments have ticked by already. Too late.
The fact is that McKinstry lived in cyberspace, and died in cyberspace. As I pointed out in my original article he was an alienated individual alone, and living in a world of his own making. His suicide note was an existential statement of his (alienated) individuality to the world outside of his own. He was alone and he was a cyborg.Also see my articles:
Good Morning Dave
Gothic Capitalism
Tags
Canada
Chile
AI
suicide
blog
Mindpixel
Chris McKinstry
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