Last Friday, our current events group discussed an article about an assisted-suicide program in Switzerland. The program was corporately ran and supplied its customers with fatal drugs in exchange for money. Our group were discussing on whether or not this business should be allowed to continue and if people could be allowed to commit suicide. Many of the group members were troubled by the fact that the business was corporately owned because it means that the owners benefit off of other's depression and death. Others also didn't like the fact that the patients felt that their only choice was to live miserably or commit suicide when really they had different options like seeking counseling or professional help. But to some that are old and truly struggling to live and live painfully, they feel it is best to end their misery.
Suicide, since it has existed, has been frowned upon by all aspects of society and now it is starting to be accepted. Many argued that suicide is a choice, if you are suffering and you no longer have any desire to live, it is your choice to day. Only you have the freedom and the right to make the decision. This seemed to make sense and as our group began to agree when Darrell brought up an excellent point. He said that he didn't agree that it was "our choice" to commit suicide. He believed that just like how one doesn't get to control whether or not you are born, you shouldn't get to control if you die. He made the point that we only have the freedom to choose "what is right". This new point seemed to spark more discussion as I later added in that it is god who control who lives and who dies. God has given us the gift of life and to throw it away by committing suicide is the ultimate sin and an insult to god. Others also brought up the point that even though you make the decision to commit suicide, your decision to kill yourself effects others, such as friends and family members. Therefore, we decided that if one were to kill themselves, they would need others consent to do so.
This discussion has made me question how much freedom one should have in his life. Personally, I believe that no one has the right to end their own or anyone else's life (I guess this makes me anti-abortion). Also, the decisions and choices you make in your life, though you may not think so all of the time, affect the others around you. Focusing on the purpose of life, I believe that the goal of life is to enjoy your life on earth and help others enjoy their own lives, while still allotting time for thanking god. With this purpose of life in mind, suicide is selfish because it destroys your life, makes other peoples' lives less enjoyable, and is a sin. Overall, this "Best of the Week" has provoked many new questions and thoughts in my mind concerning life's purpose and obligations.
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Merrick this was an excellent post. I completely understand and respect your opinion, but I also disagree almost one hundred percent.
ReplyDeleteLife is a gift, but is existence itself a gift? To what degree should quality of life play a role in suicide regulations and your opinion of whether or not you have the right to your own life? Being raised Christian, I understand how Darrell and Merrick feel about God's greatest gift to us being life. but, for some people life a burden. Take for example someone that is paralyzed in a car accident from the neck down. Their quality of life is extremely low. Granted some people in this situation find new passions in life, many fall into depression. They can no longer do anything for themselves or lead any form of a "normal" life. They cannot even bathe themselves. For an adult that is completely degrading.
This applies to the terminally and chronically ill as well. If we keep them alive using our medicine and technology are they truly living, or are they merely existing? We need to realize that not everyone has the mental resiliency or faith in God to bear a life of such burden. Some people would honestly be happier if they didn't have to fight through the everyday battles life. I full heartedly believe that you have the right to your own life. Although suicide is selfish and tragic, it can be acceptable. People with incurable conditions that will force them to suffer physically or mentally through the rest of their lives should have the choice of whether or not they are up for the fight.
Merrick, I, like Taylor, do honor your opinion, but I have to disagree.
ReplyDeleteSay that your grandma had Alzheimer's. Would you rather slowly and painfully watch her deteriorate mentally or would you rather let her make the choice while she was still your grandma to end her life? I don't understand how this could be a selfish decision. She would be trying to save you and your family from the pain that they would experience seeing her slowly become someone else, someone who forgets who you are. This could go on for who knows how long. I really liked how Taylor put that they are only existing and not really living.
I do feel that their should be a thorough process that each individual must go through in order to end their life. Their must be a certain amount of counseling as well as doctors, both medical and psychological agreeing that the patient can pursue this option, and they should be able to do this without the fear of putting their career on the line. Their should also be family consent and they should be involved in the entire counseling process because like you said, this decision affects friends and family as well. All in all, suicide should be an option available, but not for the victim of a recent break up.
Congrats Merrick, you've written a blog post that generates extremely interesting responses.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a response to this. I just can't even begin to think about how terrible it must be for people who want to commit suicide, let alone how the company is profiting from people's deaths.
On one hand, people have a right to their bodies. People can get piercings and tattoos without question, and they can also get their tongues split and all sorts of other body changes. You could extend that and say that if a human has a right to their body, then they should have a right to kill themselves.
On the other side, you have your argument that a person commiting suicide should not be allowed for all the reasons that you listed and even more beyond that.
I am literally shocked. I wish I had been in your current events group because I would have loved to hear everyone's opinions.