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90 Day Jane
Status: My hunch is that it's a hoax.
Jane has declared that in ninety days she's going to kill herself, and she's keeping a daily blog to share her experiences during her final months. She writes:I am going to kill myself in 90 days. What else should i say? This blog is not a cry for help or even to get attention. It's simply a public record of my last 90 days in existence. I'm not depressed and nothing extremely horrible has lead me to this decision. But, does it really have to? I mean, as an atheist I feel life has no greater purpose.
As of today, February 11, she has 84 days left.
I can't predict the future, so I can't say with certainty whether Jane will or will not kill herself at the appointed time, but my hunch is that her blog is complete b.s. There are a couple of reasons for suspecting this. First of all, this is not the first suicide blog to have appeared on the internet, and they invariably end up being fake. Remember the "Countdown to Oblivion" blog, in which Jerry Romero declared he was going to kill himself on January 13th, 2005? When the date arrived, he posted a single-word message for all his readers: PWNED.
Second, her comment that "as an atheist I feel life has no greater purpose" strikes me as phony. It sounds like what a religious person imagines that an atheist would say. Most atheists, I think, would say that they don't need a deity to have a fulfilling, meaningful existence... thank you, very much. Our relationships with other people and what we do with our life is what gives it meaning.
In fact, I suspect that religious people are far more likely to commit suicide, since they view death as not being final. They might imagine killing themselves as a way to start over, either through reincarnation or by becoming a spirit. For instance, you don't often hear of atheist suicide bombers.
In this vein, there have been recorded cases of people who have committed suicide as an experiment, in the belief that they would be able to find out what life after death was like, and find a way to communicate that knowledge back to the living. For instance, the Jan 24, 1927 issue of the Chicago Tribune records the case of W. Cassels Noe, a medical student at the University of Wisconsin, who "shot and killed himself today, leaving a note saying he wanted to learn what was beyond the grave. The note, addressed to a Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity brother, promised him that Noe would communicate with him from the beyond as soon as possible and tell what death is and what it brings."
There's no evidence that Noe ever found a way to send his friend a message.
Update: I should revise what I said above. Having thought about it for a few minutes, I don't actually think that a person's religious beliefs (or lack of them) has any predictive value of whether that person is likely to take their own life. So I'll take back that line about religious people being more likely to commit suicide. It was a knee-jerk response to "Jane's" suggestion that she might as well commit suicide since she's an atheist. I'll simply point out that, just as there are certainly depressed people who commit suicide and declare that they don't believe in God, there are also plenty of people who kill themselves because they think they're going on to some kind of afterlife. The Heaven's Gate cult here in San Diego was one of the most famous examples of that here in America.
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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I thought atheists believed (soeaking as someone who refuses to follow any organised religion but has a vague undefined belief in a force of nature that couldn't care less whether we exist or not, as long as we don't get in the way) that the greater purpose of life was to live a good and decent life WITHOUT reference to a book to tell them 'murder bad, forgiveness good'. In fact, as atheists don't believe in an afterlife, why would they commit suicide as they've got no better place to go to? Sounds to me like someone saying 'athesists have nothing to keep them alive' type argument.
Posted by Nona on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 04:43 AM
I suspect that after the 90 days we will get some kind of revelation. If she would really kill herself the blog would just stop. Probably there is some kinda purpose to getting our attention for 90 days. Maybe there will be a religious message at the end, that she has seen the light, found Jesus and refound a meaning for living. If that happens its a sick joke proving her wrong.
Posted by Daan Webstra in Holland on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 05:11 AM
I think it is more than likely to be a fake, someones creative writing project or a bid get attention. I live close a Bridgend that has sean many teenagers who have websites on facebook have taken there own life. Sad realy what makes it worse is that this idiot will probebly encourage other people to follow...
Posted by patrick in Wales on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 06:25 AM
Okay, Bye Bye , who gives a shit
Posted by JPG in Hollanda on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 06:32 AM
To JPG and Anonamous, if this individual does commit suicide (which I doubt - and I wonder if it is even a woman) I for one will feel sorry. I do give a shit to use the idiot expression. One of the aspects of being human as opposed to a "dumb animal" is that we do care for others, present or not. If a litter-mate of your family dog died it would affect the family dog probably not at all. Contrast this with how you would feel if your sibling died. Extending this connectedness to non-family and non-friends is a mark of our civilized society.
Posted by Christopher Cole in Tucson, AZ on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 08:52 AM
This person who wants to end her life supports other people to do it by coming in the news, so i do not feel sorry for a person who promotes suicide!!!
Other people starving to dead, and this person wants attention for this kind of shit...
Posted by JPG in Holland on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Other people starving to dead, and this person wants attention for this kind of shit...
Since Alex has moderated his language on religion and suicide, I would suggest that we confine our discussion to the main point, which is "Is Jane, or Jane's projected suicide, a hoax?"
I say, almost certainly yes. I am inclined to agree with those who think it's a writing exercise of some kind. The writing is really quite polished -- far, far, FAR more polished than you usually find on the Internet. I'd go so far as to say it's professional. Now of course polished and professional writers do commit suicide, but this whole thing just screams "Let's see what happens if I write THIS" to me.
Posted by Kathleen on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 10:48 AM
I say, almost certainly yes. I am inclined to agree with those who think it's a writing exercise of some kind. The writing is really quite polished -- far, far, FAR more polished than you usually find on the Internet. I'd go so far as to say it's professional. Now of course polished and professional writers do commit suicide, but this whole thing just screams "Let's see what happens if I write THIS" to me.
The way this blog is written is the hand of a writer, who is in the midst of writing a book on suicide.
'Jane' is going to be the character in the novel about suicide.
I think the book will be a new version of VERONICA DECIDES TO DIE. By Paolo Coelhoe.
If it's a better version, that I don't know.
Ofcourse she stays alive as well. She or he is the kind of person who wouldn't want to miss any attention given to her/him/them
Posted by anonymous on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 11:31 AM
'Jane' is going to be the character in the novel about suicide.
I think the book will be a new version of VERONICA DECIDES TO DIE. By Paolo Coelhoe.
If it's a better version, that I don't know.
Ofcourse she stays alive as well. She or he is the kind of person who wouldn't want to miss any attention given to her/him/them
The atheist line also caught my eye, and my kneejerk reaction on reading it was that it would be a hoax by a religious person, perhaps in the same vein as those designed to mock religion (e.g. http://www.landoverbaptist.org), but the other way around. The emptiness of the atheist’s life would unfold over time, and perhaps a denouement where she's born again (as suggested by Daan Webstra), or else she goes through with it with a "let that be a warning to you" subtext.
I'd also buy some sort of creative project as suggested above (marketing, writing, or just "I wonder what would happen").
Posted by JAW in PA, USA on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 11:43 AM
I'd also buy some sort of creative project as suggested above (marketing, writing, or just "I wonder what would happen").
Live was given to you by God.
Accept this gift as a way to develop yourself.
That is the meaning of life.
Why throw it away so easy?
When you have killed yourself, you will visit the people who love you or know you in a special way.
You will realise at that moment what you did to them. That's not to punish you, but to feel there pain. It is hard but it will help you.
I don't blame you for your plan or even when you did it.
God will not, so why should i?
With love, mart
Posted by mart in holland on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Accept this gift as a way to develop yourself.
That is the meaning of life.
Why throw it away so easy?
When you have killed yourself, you will visit the people who love you or know you in a special way.
You will realise at that moment what you did to them. That's not to punish you, but to feel there pain. It is hard but it will help you.
I don't blame you for your plan or even when you did it.
God will not, so why should i?
With love, mart
another internet pseu-icide. I hope it is for a book or movie and not just a random cry for attention.
Posted by Daniel in new york on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Am I the only one amused by the Google ads for this post? Right now I'm getting "Depressed Teen?
Look for Signs of Danger. Records Everything, Leaves No Trace." and "New Horizons Academy
Therapeutic Christian Boarding School for Your Struggling Teen". The perils of basing everything on keywords.
Posted by Natalie in Minneapolis on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Look for Signs of Danger. Records Everything, Leaves No Trace." and "New Horizons Academy
Therapeutic Christian Boarding School for Your Struggling Teen". The perils of basing everything on keywords.
Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that there is a sitemeter on the page since day one... the day she claims 'I did not intend for anyone to find this'...
http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=stats&s=s4490dayjane
is the link in the pagecode...
Posted by Realpaladin in The Netherlands on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 02:41 PM
http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=stats&s=s4490dayjane
is the link in the pagecode...
She's on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8636613675
Posted by Mikey B in Chicago on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 03:30 PM
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8636613675
atheist or not, i watched the video of her dressing, which was great and everything...but she obviously uses a treadmill or something. suicidal people don't workout. they get fat and make blogs, then they kill themselves and nobody cares. f is for fake.
Posted by cluckinfold on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 07:16 PM
She ended her project.
She wrote: "I feel a massive sense of responsibility to my art, but more importantly the readers of this blog. My closeness to this project must have made art seem like reality to many people. That is not a reaction that I expected nor can I morally justify. This is why my project, 90DayJane, will be taken down in the next few hours."
Art, whether you think it`s good art is up to yourself.
Posted by Chris in Utrecht on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 12:32 AM
She wrote: "I feel a massive sense of responsibility to my art, but more importantly the readers of this blog. My closeness to this project must have made art seem like reality to many people. That is not a reaction that I expected nor can I morally justify. This is why my project, 90DayJane, will be taken down in the next few hours."
Art, whether you think it`s good art is up to yourself.
I don't believe this. How can this be art? I thought about it and it was possible that it was an experiment for social behaviour online. But art? A huge amount of people really felt sorry for her and tried to help her.
She even made the news here in Belgium...
She should be ashamed of herself!
Posted by Starlight in Belgium on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 02:54 AM
She even made the news here in Belgium...
She should be ashamed of herself!
lulz. If shes gonna commit suicide shes justs some stupid emo fag who doesnt appreciate life.
A useless waste of flesh and bones.
However, I have my doubts. I dont think shes really gonna commit suicide. Its just another hoax.
Posted by Zero in in ur pantz suckin ur P3nz0r on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 05:03 AM
A useless waste of flesh and bones.
However, I have my doubts. I dont think shes really gonna commit suicide. Its just another hoax.
Its fake. I mean, a chick that plays Halo?? Impossible!
Posted by Zorro in somewhere on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 05:07 AM
Posted by papiros3 in http://90-day-jane.blogspot.com on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 05:30 AM
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