Suicide: An Ethical Delimna

[LivingNumbers6.626]

What is the logical reasoning and moral angle against suicide?

The only thing I can refute myself with is the probably fact that one day I will be happy and well balanced. But really, that isn't logic is it?

(Disclaimer: I'm not severely suicidal, just someone with some tendencies that come and go and am trying to logically refute my self.)

[The Grand Nudger]

You could, perhaps, consider the pain that your suicide would cause others (as we do in many moral considerations). Though I suppose that for a suicidal person this would just add to the pile of reasons to off yourself.

[Jenny A]

The non-religious moral reason that you shouldn't commit suicide is that it causes pain to your family and relatives left behind.

[Peebothuhlu]

Suicide is not 'logical'.

There are many reasons for such a mental state and care and understanding should be given to those who are feeling such things.

NOT treating them as pariahs and socially screwing such people over.

Treating such things from ignorance (Which is how such seem to me in the case of Churches) is NOT an answer nor should it be acceptable.

Much cheers to all.

[bennyboy]

Living and dying are not logical issues. There are logical reasons on both sides of the issue, but these are rooted in arbitrary value judgements. For example, if Earth's environment is important, then both murder and suicide are logical ways to reduce pollution. If maintaining a positive community around you is important, then both those actions are usually immoral, as death is traumatic for those who find the body, or who care about someone, or even who even just know someone (like the clerk you always nod to and say hi in the local market).

I think the desire for suicide is usually delusional. You have negative feelings, and believe that they cannot/will not change. However, the fact is that everything changes, constantly-- and one's outlook and feelings are among the things which are most dynamic.

Also, if you are really on the way out, suicide also represents a deliberate refusal to participate in the greater good. If you are going to remove yourself from the world, why not go help out patients with ebola, or join a volunteer fire-fighting department? Why not volunteer to test a high-risk drug test? Why not pick a few people who are obviously doing harm in the world, and go pay them a visit with 30 pounds of TNT strapped to your chest? There are so many great things one could do with a life that has been deemed discardable, and suicide is pretty close to the bottom of the list. Why say "fuck you" to the world and everyone in it, just because you don't feel like existing in it anymore? THAT is selfish and immoral, IMO.

[The Grand Nudger]

There's always room for people to jump on grenades in the service. On the plus side, while you wait for the big moment to arrive..you won;t have to wonder whether or not you're delusional, life really is exactly as shitty as you imagine it to be. If you ever start feeling that you might have it wrong, just get an NCO to help shittify your day. One less thing to worry about, right there.
(first in the stack through the door...btw, pretty good way to go out if you want to go)



disclaimer: we aren't mental health professionals, this place clearly isn't a clinic

[vorlon13]

In identical circumstances, Brian didn't, Clay did, Randy didn't and Ken did. Dave should have, and we all wonder why Ernie did.

Hell if anyone could get a coherent answer from me on the subject.

[Chad32]

Sometimes it's just a chemical imbalance in the brain. Sometimes life is really crappy, and just moving somewhere else and starting over is impossible, or at least impractical. Maybe you have a condition that prevents you from living an otherwise normal life, and it's going to cause you to die a painful, bedridden death.

Each case is different, but everyone should have the right to give up. Is it selfish? Maybe. Some believe it's selfish to abort a fetus just because you don't want to be inconvenienced for about nine months, but people have fought for that right.

[Peebothuhlu]

In identical circumstances, Brian didn't, Clay did, Randy didn't and Ken did. Dave should have, and we all wonder why Ernie did.

Hell if anyone could get a coherent answer from me on the subject.

And they were all in love with Dy and drinking from a fountain.




Not wanting to re-rail, but I couldn't resist.

Much cheers to all.

[LivingNumbers6.626]

Thank you for those answers.

On the topic of chemical imbalance, it's probable. But if it's probable, medicine should have been the probable remedy, which it wasn't. So that being said, I don't want to enable myself. There are tons of people like me who have committed suicide, and many like me that haven't. But perhaps things aren't so black and white. But just the fact that others deal with what I have and more survive and some have extremely beautiful lives is enough for me to think that regardless of chemical issues in the brain...recovery has to be possible...for anyone.