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Comment by Andrew_nenakhov | Hacker News Reader

Deathlist 2020 [1] looks to overtake a 17/50 record set in 2017.

Wow. Imagine for a moment being a famous person of a certain age and making that list. As if strangers on the internet are betting on, almost plotting your demise.

Kirk Douglas was absolutely beating their expectations, finally dying this year only on his 18th appearance.

I think the list is interesting in a cultural sense, but I agree that the way it works is disturbing to say the least. Consider the discussion post for Phillip Mountbatten[0] for the kind of enlightened discussion the site hosts...

0: https://forums.deathlist.net/topic/8107-1-prince-philip-duke...

I don't think it bothers Philip. Members of his family have had worse than some harmless online haters. Some were killed by bombs [1], including 14 y.o. children.

[1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Mountbatten,_1st_Earl_...

One strange thing about that forum is they keep the same threads year after year. So there is, for example, 11 pages of people rooting for Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death since 2009.

Discussions are indeed not very kind.

It's interesting to compare how these two are described:

Prince Philip - Casual racist

Henry Kissinger - Diplomat

Philip said some racist things, and Henry is only alive because the US doesn't let its citizens stand trial for war crimes. Henry going to hell this year would be a bright spot in an otherwise shitty year.

Not holding my breath for Henry, as the deal he signed with the Devil obviously made him immortal.

How strange to use the name Philip Mountbatten. It was surprisingly jarring to see that, when this person is almost always referred to as The Duke of Edinburgh.

Then I read your link and it made more sense. Name mangling is an amazingly powerful part of human culture, when exerting negative social pressure.

Separately, I am disappointed that the 1000 people more annoying than Mick Hucknall link, on the forum, is a 404.

Depending on your personality, and who else is on the list it might help you soldier on.

What a macabre and insensitive website. They're cheering for these deaths as they happen. This perspective is primitive and aberrant.

Death is a disease, and it's unfortunate we have to face it due to our technological infancy. We don't celebrate the affliction of Parkinson's; we shouldn't celebrate losing the aged to their disease.

While I don't really disagree with your first part (the website really seems to be a bit in poor taste), categorizing death as a disease seems a rather strange thought. I really do hope we never have to discuss the ethical and moral (let alone societal) implications of people being able to live forever; life's finiteness might not be something we should celebrate, but it does have its benefits.

Death is the price our species pay for evolution. It also brings change, which sometimes allows the situation to improve. If humans didn't die, dictators like Stalin or Mao would rule indefinitely long. Hell, humanity could still be enslaved to some powerful Pharaoh, who would see little incentive to change things, being immortal living god, and his power would not erode on an inevitable succession.

Stumps me that William Shatner isn’t on the list. He’s been overweight for 40+ years and is 89!

He's 89!?

Well, he does look good for his age.

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