Bloodstain said:
Still, they can't see it this way. And I will repeat myself: They won't be able to regret their suicide. So unless it's a close friend or relative: Why not let them kill themselves if they want to?
Preventing someone from killing himself even though he wants to is, in my opinion, a severe infringement of his rights. He has the right to end his life as much as he has the right to live.
On a side note: I wouldn't say that all suicidal people are that way, and there is never a good reason for killing yourself. I think there are plenty of good reasons to end one's life, and if one chooses to do so, he shouldn't be regarded as being "wrong" and "misguided".
Oh my, where to start.
You say that people have a right to kill themselves, because it's their life and they have the right to end it if they want. I actually agree with this. No really, I do. If a person believes they've had enough of life and want to end it in a non-messy way, if one of the 8 people who do so every year for these reasons want to, then they should be allowed to. What I am against is people believing that suicide is their only option doing so. I am against people who are
mentally ill committing suicide because they can't see any other option. I'm against it because it's a symptom of mental illness. Do you know how the DSM-IV defines mental illness? Behavior that is contrary to what is considered "normal" and is
maladaptive. That means that it has to cause them pain.
That is the defining factor, not merely that they're different in some way- their behavior has to interfere with them living their lives "normally". That's what depression does: it interferes with your life.
You say someone who wants this should do so if they want to and not be stopped, "unless they're a close friend or relative." This isn't about the use of narcotic drugs, matey, this is about someone implementing the most permanent change one can inflict on one's life. Saying someone should have the freedom to do so, "unless you care about them" is either extremely hypocritical or evidence of extremely blithe thinking.
You say that if they do it, they can't regret it, so it doesn't matter one way or the other.
It
absolutely matters. We're talking about someone killing themselves here, not hooking up with the fat chick at the office. It's a big fucking deal, not just to themselves, but to those who care about them.
After everything you said that was pro-choice (in terms of suicide) in the previous, you also say these words:
"I wouldn't say that
all suicidal people are that way, and there is
never a good reason for killing yourself."
And then you say:
"I think there are plenty of good reasons to end one's life."
Again, giving someone their standard rights is important, but nobody ever really
wants to commit suicide because of the reasons, "nobody loves me, the world is pain, nothing will ever improve", because the people in this state want to kill themselves
for reasons that don't exist. They just feel like they can't change their position in life, and eventually they get fed up. However, 999.999% of the time, that just isn't the case, but they can't tell one way or another, because, all together now:
[HEADING=1]
They are mentally ill, and can't see the world for what it really is.[/HEADING]
This is about protecting people who don't understand what they're doing. Freedom- yes, it's important. But, like everything, there is a limit to how far that extends.
One last thing: they're not "wrong" if they do it. They're not "sinners" or terrible people. Nobody is accusing them of being such. Furthermore, not every issue comes down to what is "right" or "wrong." That's not how things work.
