I was watching a Joe Scott video about the Somerton Man, and at one point he mentions it’s believed he just wanted to be forgotten.

I’ve met a lot of people who are like this. They feel too dysphoric about their life and are eager to see the day when their families all pass away or have memory loss so that the worst parts of their life aren’t in other peoples’ heads anymore. It’s sad.

There are a lot of things we consider rights by default. There’s a right to a burial. There’s a right to a last meal. There’s a right to a will. Some of these have people who philosophize about them but most are taken for granted.

Do you think there’s a right to be forgotten? How much do you validate it? What’s your reasoning?

  • MajorHavoc@programming.dev
    81·
    5 days ago

    Yes, with lots of carve outs:

    • Un-aquited criminals who have not served their time have no right to be forgotten
    • Public personalities who wish to remain public personalities don’t get to have it both ways
    • Within reason, binding contracts entered into without coercion should remain binding, maintaing existing contract escape mechanisms.

    Otherwise, for the rest of us, I do think we should have a right to be forgotten.