Why the name Memento mori?

What’s the origin of the server name mementomori.social? Why was it chosen? Here’s the story behind the stoic phrase and the idea that inspired it.

A content warning: this section briefly touches on death — not morbidly, but as a philosophical concept tied to the meaning and origin of the name mementomori.social.

The origins of the server name

Memento mori (Latin for “Remember that you [have to] die”) is a stoic, artistic, and symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death.

When I (Rolle, the admin) got the idea to start my own Mastodon server in October 2022, many people asked, “What happens when you die? Will the server disappear?”

I found that question fascinating. As someone who lives with anxiety disorder and thanatophobia (fear of death), I’ve learned in therapy to face the idea of mortality rather than hide from it.

Eventually, I reached a conclusion: nothing is eternal — and we shouldn’t think of things as though they are. You probably know of a few websites that once existed but are now gone. Remember Geocities or AltaVista? Over the years, countless websites and online services have disappeared.

I've personally used many social media platforms that no longer exist: Jaiku, Bebo, PicPlz ("Instagram" before Instagram), Friendster, StumbleUpon, Delicious, GetGlue, Google+... Not to mention MySpace and Finland's own IRC-Galleria - both of which still technically exist, though neither is truly alive.

The point is: websites come and go through the decades. Nothing is permanent. So why should a Mastodon server be any different?

Why should I fear death? If I am, then death is not. If Death is, then I am not. Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not? — Epicurus

While I embrace the mindset of focusing on the present, I do everything I can to keep this server running for as long as I live and breathe.

But still — we should remember.

Hence, memento mori. Remember.