Why the name, Memento mori?

What is the origin of the server name mementomori.social? Why it was chosen? Read more about the stoic phrase and idea behind it.

A content warning is in place here as we slightly touch on death as a concept related to the server name mementomori.social and the origins of the idea and the latin, stoic expression behind it.

The origins of the server name

Memento mori (Latin for "Remember that you [have to] die") is a stoic, artistic or symbolic trope acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death. At the time on October 2022 when I (the admin, Rolle speaking) got the idea of starting my own Mastodon server, many criticized about the idea - what happens when you die? The server ceases to exist?

I found this intriguing. As a person who suffers from anxiety disorder and thanatophobia (fear of death) I have embraced the idea of remininding myself of mortality while in therapy.

I came to a conclusion that nothing is eternal and we should not think that way. You might now a website or two that no longer exist. You might know Geocities or AltaVista? There are numerous websites and webservices that do not exist any more. I have used loads of social media services that no longer exist. I don't know if you've heard of Jaiku, Bebo, PicPlz ("Instagram" before Instagram), Friendster, Stumbleupon, Delicious, GetGlue, Google+... Not to mention MySpace and Finnish equivalent IRC-Galleria which both do (amazingly enough) still exist, but nobody is really streering the boat. The point is, websites come and go over the decades. Nothing is permanent. So why should a Mastodon server be?

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 stating that we should focus on the present, I do all I can to keep the servers up and running as long as I'm able, as long as I live and breath.

But, we should remember.

Hence, memento mori. Remember.