Assisted Suicide

What's your take on it? I don't mean stupid people where omg they're just so emo...I mean, you have terminal cancer, you're racked with pain every moment.

I personally feel that it's the person's own choice. Why should they have to endure continual pain for the rest of their lives, short as they might be?

 

I don't see a problem with it either.

I mean the person has to be really sure that that is what they want, and the people that truly care about that person should be able to come to terms with it before it happens, though this part really is up to the person, that is just what I would do if it were me.

The main problem really is, the person helping them. Are they ok with it? With killing a person simply to put them out of their misery? With taking that person from the ones who love him/her? I think it would be a lot better if it was actually someone close to you doing it, so they know that they are releasing you, from your pain and suffering.

(This is the paragraph where I tear up btw) Though if it were me, I couldn't do it, no matter how much pain that person was in, how much I loved that person and wanted them to be free, I don't think I could kill them. I just couldn't do it, I could be there in that persons last moments, holding their hand, but I couldn't pull the plug myself. If it was that special person to me (a few of you know whom I speak of) I would break down long before she even asked for it, and I sure as ****ing hell couldn't pull the plug, but I would be there for her, making sure she knew how much I cared for her in her last few moments.

 

One of the problems is state interest in not opening the door too widely for cases in the grey zone.

 

i'm all for it, as long as the person who wants to die can prove that they are not pressured into it by others, have attempted treatments (for their illness or depression), and are capable of giving consent.

the killing should be left to professionals. i wouldn't say doctors... they ARE trained to heal, not kill. probably need an anesthesiologist and a coroner standing by, though. don't know who would do the actual killing.

 

Im for it, but only to the standards that asdf said. If one of my friends asked me to kill, i would probably have mercy on him and make it quick.

 

I totally agree with it. If I want to die, who the hell are you to stand in the way? Simple as that.

Unfortunately, some people fail to understand that and try to impose their own take on it. Bigotry at its best.
I mean.. sure, some people might disagree with it. But If you do, then never do it yourself, but who the f**k are you to interfere with other's desires?

 

Many people would apply the 'mental ilness' label to anyone who wanted to end their life for whatever reason.

Not true for animals however. Animals are put to sleep. Why though? How is one justified and not the other? If an animal's feelings are important enough to consider ending their suffering through death, are a human's feelings less important?

I think that's worse though that the animal hasn't decided what they want to happen. It is involuntary euthanasia. But if an animal could agree with what you when you wanted to end it's life to end it's suffering, would that mean the animal gets the mental illness label?

 

Amen. I'd hope the person asking for death thought this through with clarity, instead of letting the pain cloud his/her mind.

Would I do it? It depends on the situation. If the person asking is very old and/or has a terminal disease (I'm talking 99.9~100% chance of death here), in which case being hooked up to life support is only putting off the inevitable, then I would "set them free." However, if there's a chance, even a small chance, that this person can live to see another healthy day in their life, then I would never, ever pull the plug.

Would I ask for it? Again, it depends. At first my answer was a solid "No." I can be a pretty stubborn person, so naturally when it comes to life I'd want to fight 'til the last breath. But then I thought on it again, taking the financial and emotional expense on loved ones into account...and the answer came out to be "Maybe." I guess I'll never know until I actually face the situation.

 

Like if someone was in their mid 30's, and just had a bad car accident? Like say your sibling later in life got in a bad car wreck, and was racked with pain, but wasn't going to die. Just the pain was too intense to bear? There is pain medication for a reason. I don't blame you though, if someone was just in a great deal of pain, but wasn't terminal, then I don't think I could do it. I think they should be able to see the ones close to them to remind them that there is still things to live for in the world.

I share the same feelings on this, but you never really know how you would truly react until you're in such a situation. You never truly know a man till he is staring death in the face. You can't judge him until someone can make the decision when something like that is happening. This applies to dangerous situations more, but it does fit here.

This is the problem with it being you though isn't it? The people you care about, the feelings they have on it. Knowing that they have to see you in pain, might be more painful to them, then the actual pain is to you. Though also knowing, that because of their feelings on this, you might want to end it, and they might not ever be able to forgive themselves for what you decided to do on their account.

P.S. Every ****ing time I tear up.

 

well, the thing that came to mind is that

what if there's still hope for a cure?....

that just sounded optimistic, but im a pessimist

 

In case of terminaly ill patients option of euthanasia is a necessity in a free society. Of course you also have to have a consent of the person doing the killing/unplugging of the person.

 

If someone is terminally ill with absolutely zero chance of survival then okay absolutely if they want to end their pain they should be allowed to do so. Also, I have never heard of someone with depression not finding a suitable treatment, so I don't think someone should kill them selfs just because emotionally they think its a good idea. Imagine how many kids there are out there who have the same idea but have no idea how much better life can be once they get older? Your saying screw him so what if hes young and doesn't know much let him commit suicide anyways? Your also opening the door for anyone who is a parent and has children to take care of to just kill them self's if they feel like it. Tell me you see something wrong with this. I agree with suicide for the terminally ill. However I don't think we should let someone kill them self just because they are depressed. I feel that the state should help find treatment for this individual and make him not suicidal.

However I don't think people should be allowed to kill them self's just because they feel bad. In many cases it could cause harm to others, and if done in public (where random people can see it.) it can be very traumatic to others. Imagine if some kid were to see a guy commit suicide by jumping off a bridge or building? Think of the effect it would have on that kid, or even worse if he landed on someone and the impact killed that person as well. Lets also assume someone assisted in his death, and after the fact how does he prove it wasn't murder? Along with that who's going to clean up the body from the street, are we just going to let it rot there for the world to see? If we do decide to get people to clean up the body then who is going to pay them? Do we wait for the family of the deceased to pick up the body or hire someone to do so meanwhile letting the body remain in the public view? Or do we have people working for the government do it, and then have people pay taxes for it like we do now?
So basically here is why its illegal currently. Because for one if its not done by a doctor inside a hospital under controlled circumstances your putting other lives at risk. Reason two being that it stands to emotionally or mentally injure others around them who maybe just bystanders in the vicinity of suicide. Along with that the state( Anyone who pays taxes.) has to pay for the clean up, and the investigation to make sure the said death wasn't actually a murder.

 

I accept the potential critcism but I just had to do it after reading the last post.

 

You're joking right? I happens all the time, people who are depressed don't get proper counseling, or don't even seek it out.

Well of course not, it's a sad sad day when someone is so depressed that they kill themselves simply because their emotions tell them that it is a good idea. Someone very close to me has admitted to me that she has on several occasions almost did it, but couldn't go through with it. I am glad she never did it. Though I would rather that she never though of doing it at all. I think about it too, sometimes I have been so sad that I seriously thought about it. I've held the knife to my throat, I've watched the big trucks go by as I am standing on the side of the road, held the bottle with all the pills in it.

I know what it is like. I'm sure me admitting this won't come as a very big surprise to a lot of you.

Of course there is something wrong with it. Do you have any idea how the world would turn out if that started happening? Children already don't get the proper guidance or messages from their parents, if their parents killed themselves, what message would that send? Society would really devolve.

I know there are some children who's parents have done it, or attempted to do it. It's very sad.

This could potently become one hell of a terrible chain effect.

Some kids dad commits suicide by jumping off a ten story apartment building, while his son watches. He hits a man and his wife when he reaches the ground, killing him and seriously injuring her, while their son was with them. Him, witnessing this, suffers from sever mental and emotional problems all his life, and finally decides to kill himself as well. Ironically in front of his own son, and landing on someone else, just like what happened years before.

This one is simple, witnesses. You get a handful of people to witness it, and there will be no suspicions of murder, and of course the written consent of the person dying, also with witnesses.

No, that would be a health hazard for one, it would attract potentially very dangerous animals as well, causing a safety issue. Let alone the trauma of seeing some dead guy just rotting there. We don't live in that kind of world anymore, this isn't the 1300's.

Could you imagine doing that though? If you were a family member of that person? Picking up their remains, knowing that this shell, this body, was once someone you knew and loved, or even having to think of paying someone to do it for you?

I'm pretty sure the taxes go to the detectives that make sure there was no foul play.



This is a strong topic for me, in case you haven't noticed.

 

Them not approaching a doctor isn't a sign that their depression is so bad that they should end their life. Again as I said if the public(as in the authorities or any third party.) is aware someone is commiting suicide there should be an obligation to stop them and force them into treatment so their depression can be treated. I don't see any reason why we should simply let someone kill them self's because of depression. I would worry about any society that simply allows this and how little the said society cares about its people. The only reason someone has to kill them self is as I said if they were terminally ill with no hope of a cure. Then absolutely they should have the option to end their life with out the pain and suffering of what ever disease has plagued them.

Suicide is in no way an option for those feeling emotionally stressed, and while I don't think it should be illegal. However, I do think society owes it to people attempting to commit suicide to force them into treatment and cure their depression. No body has the right to take their own life for reasons of depression. They hurt more then just them self by doing so. When someone commits suicide they hurt their family and friends in the worst ways possible. Often leading others to depression them self's, and also making any effort their friends and family put into their lives meaningless. Depression is not and should never be a legitimate reason for suicide.

 

Is anyone actually challenging his views or does everyone generally agree with him (like me) and Jshep89 is just having a little monolouge, imaginary defense of his viewpoint if you will.

 

I can't have a discussion with someone about something when they agree with what I am saying? Not every conversation is disagreement.

 

That was pointed at him, not you. Somehow hes passionetly defending his position while nobody is challenging him on it. Why?

 

I just figured I would get a head start. Only a matter of time until someone makes an opposition

 

Well that is in interesting point of view on it.