Anyone else's imaginations going wild thinking what bizarre combination of circumstances might lead to the lack of a "group by" in an ORM leading to a gradual death, during which one still has sufficient strength to post to HN?

I'll give this a shot.

No group by means that a Mr. Blair's project fails, and he gets fired, and loses his health insurance. Combined with his pre-existing medical conditions, he cannot get another job nor afford treatment, and dies a slow death of, say, bonitis.

Literally dead, for lack of a "group by" in an ORM.