Aaron Swartz (1986 – 2013) was a programmer, writer, and activist whose work shaped the modern internet. A co-creator of RSS 1.0, a key developer behind Reddit’s early codebase, and a driving force in building Creative Commons and the Open Library, he was also one of the most vocal advocates for open access to knowledge. Through projects like the Guerilla Open Access Manifesto, he challenged the privatization of public information, arguing that free and open information was essential for progress. Swartz’s fearless pursuit of transparency, social justice, and internet freedom left a profound cultural and technological legacy that continues to inspire researchers, technologists, and activists worldwide.

Early Genius and Intellectual Curiosity

• Prodigious early intellect: Swartz taught himself to read at age 3 and was reading novels by kindergarten[1]. By age 14 he co-authored the RSS 1.0 web-syndication format, and as a teen he contributed code to Creative Commons and other open-source projects[2][3].
• Voracious learner: Friends noted he “read voraciously.” One acquaintance listed 24 books Aaron read over just three months, ranging from Susan Sontag’s journals to Ernst Bloch’s The Principle of Hope[4]. He was constantly “thirsty for knowledge about how the world worked and how it could be made better”[4].
• Keen thinker: He loved deep discussions. His partner recalled being woken early to debate Bayesian statistics or consciousness[5]. He insisted on “think[ing] deeply about things” and not accepting the status quo[6]. Even small details (like a restaurant’s menu font) fascinated him[7].

Core Values and Philosophy

• Belief in free information: Swartz held that “information is power,” but criticized those who “want to keep it for themselves.” In his Guerrilla Open Access Manifesto he argued it was “outrageous and unacceptable” that scientific and cultural heritage is locked away by corporations, and he urged people to share knowledge freely[8]. He saw knowledge as a public good, not a commodity.
• Moral imperative: He famously wrote, “There is no justice in following unjust laws,” and called civil disobedience a duty when laws hoard culture[9][8]. He believed sharing knowledge wasn’t theft but a moral duty: “Sharing isn’t immoral—it’s a moral imperative.”[10].
• Rational, open-minded approach: Aaron believed in engaging with facts. He explained that arguing controversial ideas online helped him clarify his beliefs[11]. He urged others to question norms: “Think deeply about things… Consider the effects, consider the alternatives”[6]. He respected logic over authority.
• Community and openness: He admired people like Tim Berners-Lee who made technology freely available[12], and he embraced open-source ideals. He saw technology as a means to connect people and empower society rather than for profit. As one friend put it, Aaron believed hard work and “openness and curiosity” could make life better for all[13].

Empathy and Social Responsibility

• Deep empathy: Colleagues describe a “staggering capacity for empathy” in Swartz[14]. He felt others’ suffering intensely – he would fret over a cashier’s mistake as much as over global injustice. Ben Wikler said Aaron “genuinely held other people as equally important as himself.”[15]
• Duty to others: He was driven by a strong sense of obligation. When he learned someone else faced hardship, “it would be hugely taxing for him,” Wikler noted[15]. He avoided burdening others (he hid his ulcerative colitis to not inconvenience friends[16]) and often thought in terms of ethics: he once discussed Schindler’s List with a friend, saying he felt morally compelled to do more for others[17].
• Fighting injustice: Swartz was constantly “aware of the world’s fundamental injustices and… wanted to tackle them” rather than ignore them[18]. He felt negative when confronted with unfair systems (“sometimes it took him to dark places”[18]) but used that frustration to fuel his work. This obligation translated into activism – he saw social justice work as a personal mission and even compared his own struggle to historical acts of resistance.
• Idealistic sensitivity: He disliked rigid rules and was “monk-like, obsessed with never hurting anyone.”[19] He once said he wasn’t cut out for a world of “red lines and strict rules”[19]. In justice issues, he felt deeply compelled to act; Quinn Norton recalled him saying, “He wanted to make the world better from inside the system…” – a plan shattered by the felony case[20].

Problem-Solving and Action

• Building solutions: Swartz tackled problems by creating tools. He co-created RSS, web.py, helped design Creative Commons license code, and co-founded Reddit[2][3]. Each project aimed to give people free, powerful tools for communication and collaboration.