Diaspora co-founder commits suicide at 22

[Rick]

Ilya Zhitomirskiy, one of Diaspora's four founders, died over the weekend at just 22 years of age. Sources close to the company confirmed the death was a suicide but it…

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[Wendig0]

What a shame...

 

[ikesmasher]

Not really the type of person that would commit suicide. just my two cents. When, you know, your project has reached that level of support.

 

[lawfer]

Lol, I knew my comment would get deleted.

It is a shame, indeed. Although it is a bit hard trying to feel sympathetic when you know so little of both the man and his project. I do remember trying to join Diaspora, but it was in closed beta, so couldn't. I eventually forgot it even existed. Hard to join a social network when none of your friends are there.

But it is a bit disconcerting. Diaspora might not have been a rising Google+, but the project looks it has the support. I have to wonder what made this man take his own life? :/

 

[Guest]

Well that's one way of getting publicity to your website... kill yourself sukerbuerg bust be glad he didn't have to try that.

 

[Emin3nce]

Guest said:
well that's one way of getting publicity to your website... kill your self sukerbuerg bust be glad he didn't have to try that

You win the award for most insensitive comment, most misguided judgement AND the failed spelling awards.

Have a cookie.

 

[veLa]

ikesmasher said:
Not really the type of person that would commit suicide. just my two cents. When, you know, your project has reached that level of support.

I think in that photo it's clear he's depressed.

 

[RH00D]

At first glance he really doesn't seem like the type of person to kill himself but you have to remember that saying "people are like icebergs", what we know about him is only the tip, there is so much more that we are not seeing that he could have been going through. R.I.P.

 

[gwailo247]

ikesmasher said:
Not really the type of person that would commit suicide. just my two cents. When, you know, your project has reached that level of support.

Are you saying that knowing a lot about about his personal life and mental state, or is this some stupid attempt at a conspiracy theory?

 

[caravel]

Very sad news.

R.I.P.

 

[wcbert]

For me it is always sad to read about young people taking their own life as there is so much potential to do something and now it is lost.

 

[moncada]

very sad.. R.I.P.

 

[Guest]

It's sad to hear of a young man die, but he achieved a lot in his lifetime and will be remembered for his intelligence. RIP.

 

[ikesmasher]

gwailo247 said:

ikesmasher said:
Not really the type of person that would commit suicide. just my two cents. When, you know, your project has reached that level of support.

Are you saying that knowing a lot about about his personal life and mental state, or is this some stupid attempt at a conspiracy theory?

Neither. Simply stating that someone with a dream and that kind of support wouldnt really commit suicide. Unless there IS something wrong with his personal life, which in most cases would be completely obvious to his friends/family.

 

[Guest]

He was almost exactly my age. What a waste.

 

[Guest]

So Sad, I had only joined DIASPORA recently and feel horrible.

 

[Guest]

You are a horrible person to say such a thing!

 

[Guest]

Well its called business if there is competion.......what do you do? take them out or buy them if you cant buy them.......u hire some one greed and power

 

[Guest]

I feel sorry for the community. I first saw diaspora last year and thought these four young students have such a bright future ahead of them. It's a shame.

 

[Guest]

Cripes, a lot of inane comments here.

Who knows why he did it? Certainly not people who have never known him.
What do you mean a person with a dream can't commit suicide? That's extremely naive. People are more complex than "have a bright future => happy; cannot commit suicide".

Either way, terribly sad news and a huge waste of a life. 22 is nothing, he had his entire life in front of him. I guess he found peace from whatever was tormenting him. RIP and condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Guest]

No, it is not obvious to friends and family when someone is depressed and suffering. Most of the time everyone is surprised by a suicide because it wasn't obvious. The yellow flags can be very subtle. .
This is such a tragedy, there must be more to the story but we may never know. Have some compassion people.

 

[Guest]

Well, I wonder what the CEO of Friendster is thinking about right now.

 

[Guest]

Totally interested in the toxicology test results.

 

[Guest]

A few of the posters could just relax on the "I'm gonna push this first before it pushes me" type of comments.

Anyone who commits suicide is extremely tortured by something that is not for us to understand. It was for him, and is always for anyone, a personal choice.

If some of you who can't at least have compassion, try to understand that you don't get to decide when the worse day of your life will be.

Some who will try to conclude as to what drove this young man to do it are the same who are unable to come to terms with ever accepting something that is out of their control.

You must have respect in his decision that, even though it must have been more obvious to him than us that his future would have been promising, his judgement was his own.

 

[Guest]

This headline is incorrect. As stated in the text, Ilya's death has not been officially declared a suicide. Whatever happened to guidelines, ethics and objectivity in reporting? Oh, right, all the media outlets have been bought and paid for. Apparently this one as well.

And, like others on this forum, I also question the likelihood of suicide when his project was just getting underway and was receiving such support. Seems like there are many big money interests that would benefit from sabotaging a social network where the information is not for sale.

Just my 2¢.