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Comment by CathedralBorrow | Hacker News Reader

“I am sceptical of the claim that voluntarily pedophilia harms children. The arguments that it causes harm seem to be based on cases which aren’t voluntary, which are then stretched by parents who are horrified by the idea that their little baby is maturing.”

“There is little evidence to justify the widespread assumption that willing participation in pedophilia hurts children.“

I can give you the links but it's quite easy to Google.

Edit since I dug them up for another comment:

https://stallman.org/archives/2006-may-aug.html#05%20June%20...

https://stallman.org/archives/2012-nov-feb.html#04_January_2...

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It's well-known he's since recanted his thoughts in those posts:

https://stallman.org/archives/2019-jul-oct.html#14_September...

Are people allowed to change their mind after having conversations that convince them that their position is wrong?

Of course people are allowed to change their minds. But forgive me if I take a skeptical view of someone in their sixties suddenly saying "Contrary to my writings on the subject, I've recently learned that having sex with children is wrong"

Especially if that recanting happens to take place right as the shitstorm about his writings and behavior has started.

Sure, but it's not like he was actively defending his position until the point of his public persecution. They've been the only 2 comments that I'm aware of his thoughts on the subject. Granted they were very controversial thoughts to be ever be trying to question in a public statement. Which makes me think he has no fear/reservations of openly saying what he believes at any time and is not socially-aware of the consequences of his statements, either because he's eccentric, socially awkward, or just lacking in empathy.

> Which makes me think he has no fear/reservations of openly saying what he believes at any time and is not socially-aware of the consequences of his statements, either because he's eccentric, socially awkward, or just lacking in empathy.

I pretty much fully agree with this. I don't think he's evil or anything. The consequences of his statements just finally caught up with him, and in a big way since he seems to have had a strong "It's just how RMS is, he's such a great leader, just ignore him or steer clear of him or whatever" shield around him for all those years.

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