Do you think suicide is a right? And is it selfish?

[traumatologia]

Well, I think we must have the right to make our own decisions freely, but into boundaries. For example, not commit suicide if someone can be hurt fisically or emotionally, like when people tries to kill themselves by jumping off a building and there's other people in the streets, or through a car crash. If you want to end your life it's okay for me if the decision is not because other people push you to do it (that's murder) or if you have some mental illness/problem or disorder that makes your brain think you want to. This decision has to be thoughtful, planned, pacefull and well planned. Also, I don't think it's selfish
(sorry if my english is not good, I'm learning)

 

[アホペンギン]

I don't think suicide is selfish. It should be regarded as self care, if one is suffering throughout their life then they deserve the right to end it. No one should have a say in what someone does and if they assume that they do, then, thats just flat out rude. Suicide will never be selfish, in my eyes. Rather than being selfish, it should be an inalienable right that everyone should be granted at birth, no exceptions. Even if one isn't suffering chronic pain or a terminal illness and they're generally healthy, they still should be allowed the privilege to leave this world.

Also, your english is amazing, normally I don't come across people who are learning english as a foreign language writing as well as you. The only mistake I see is that you misspelled the physically as "fisically". That isn't a problem, prononciation is confusing for foreigners learning english. Your sentence structure is better than most native speakers as well. You're doing well.

 

[traumatologia]

I don't think suicide is selfish. It should be regarded as self care, if one is suffering throughout their life then they deserve the right to end it. No one should have a say in what someone does and if they assume that they do, then, thats just flat out rude. Suicide will never be selfish, in my eyes. Rather than being selfish, it should be an inalienable right that everyone should be granted at birth, no exceptions. Even if one isn't suffering chronic pain or a terminal illness and they're generally healthy, they still should be allowed the privilege to leave this world.

Also, your english is amazing, normally I don't come across people who are learning english as a foreign language writing as well as you. The only mistake I see is that you misspelled the physically as "fisically". That isn't a problem, prononciation is confusing for foreigners learning english. Your sentence structure is better than most native speakers as well. You're doing well.

I agree. It should be a right granted at birth. Thank you very much, by the way

 

[FuneralCry]

Of course suicide is a human right, it would be inhumane to suggest otherwise as without the option of suicide existence would be no different to imprisonment and slavery.

Nobody is obligated to continue enduring this existence they were so cruelly burdened with in the first place and it certainly disgusts me how suicide isn't as straightforward as being able to instantly and peacefully fall asleep for all eternity. The only selfishness lies in how people wish to make existence into a prison where one has to struggle so much to escape on their own terms.

 

[somenone]

I would not want such a phenomenon to exist, but not by the methods by which the state does it (punishment, intimidation). On the other hand, I understand that there will always be people who will commit suicide, just as there will always be stupid, worthless, and ugly. Unfortunately, I collected all this in myself, it remains only to commit suicide. Well, when I hear the news that someone has committed suicide, I feel... really sorry? It shouldn't be like this. But I understand that I could not help these people, most likely...

 

[StolenLife]

It should absolutely be a human right. No one asked to be born and no one owes their existence to this cruel world. It is more selfish to keep someone in a miserable life just so that others won't be sad. Pro lifers don't understand that there are fates worse than death, and they are in denial of death being a natural and peaceful conclusion to life. If someone ctb, that means that they cannot be harmed any further and that they are at peace. I understand that there are happy and blessed people who enjoy this existence and they have the right to live it to the fullest, but they ought to leave us who don't alone and mind their own business.

 

[xlostie]

Depends on the point of view and the mindset ig. When i was a kid i remember asking my mother why do people commit suicide. She simply told me it's because some people are scared of living. Pretty good explanation for a child i guess, without emotional response to my question. My peers were told different tho, they talked about it as it was cursed urban legend that shouldn't be mentioned. They still avoid the topic and prefer to silverline things.
Then i grew up a bit i remember reading about the soul, how it reincarnates - then i used to believe that life is a lesson that you have chosen before coming here and even if you end it, you will come again for this lesson so suicide was pointless and kinda selfish (towards your soul's decision) for me then.
Years after i met a guy (we are still very good friends to this day). He is a rational thinker and he told me he has never been suicidal but he thinks euthanasia must be option that should cost as little as possible even be free. He thought that a lot of unfortunate people would prefer to ctb instead of living in misery, if death was easy,not painful, if it wasn't such a taboo topic.
Probably there are a lot more other opinions, it depends on the person and their experience.

 

[benzol]

Well, I think we must have the right to make our own decisions freely, but into boundaries. For example, not commit suicide if someone can be hurt fisically or emotionally, like when people tries to kill themselves by jumping off a building and there's other people in the streets, or through a car crash. If you want to end your life it's okay for me if the decision is not because other people push you to do it (that's murder) or if you have some mental illness/problem or disorder that makes your brain think you want to. This decision has to be thoughtful, planned, pacefull and well planned. Also, I don't think it's selfish
(sorry if my english is not good, I'm learning)

I agree but you should also include mental illnesses. I think about depressions.
Given example: you have a physical illness which is incurable and brings you lot of problems. Because of this you will develop a depression with your desire to CTB.
It is possible that another person with the same physical illness still sees enough reasons to live, but you not. And this is a form of depression but should be respected anyway.

 

[antilife]

In my opinion it is not selfish and should be a right everyone has. I think it is more selfish to want the other one to suffer instead of leaving peacefully.

 

[polka slide]

i feel like I have heard people talk about suicide being selfish more than i have heard people express sympathy to the people who chose to kill themselves and say something along the lines of "they must have been in so much pain". this isn't about this post I guess, just a random thought I have had on my mind for a while now. people who aren't suicidal will never understand it

 

[Serial Experi Pain]

I don't think most people want to die, I think it's mostly the pain that they cannot turn off.
I would never tell someone to harm themselves. I would also never in this life call them selfish or a coward, for it is a fact that our instinct is to survive, and if the pain of another is so wretched and unending that they would choose to abandon this existence, then who the fuck am I to say anything about their character? All I wish is that the pain lessens for all. Life truly isn't that long even if it is the longest thing we will ever do, and sometimes the suffering makes it feel like an infinite loop of despair.
Meds, distractions, friends... some of those stop working over time, and for some people some of those aren't even an option or never were at all.
Most days when people tell me "you can get through this, just as you have everything else!", it feels more like "You suffered through everything else. Please stay, make me happy and suffer a bit more".

Those are only my thoughts, though.

 

[snowcloud9]

You're brought to life without consent. You should be able to die without consent.

I don't think that it's selfish. If people truly cared and wanted you to live, they would have helped your suffering while you were alive. I personally don't care for the bullshit that 'if you die you transfer your pain onto others' when those people have only created my suffering or left me when I showed that I was in pain. Perhaps I'm projecting and not all people are like that, but at least in my life, more people than not have made my life worse and I am unsympathetic towards them.

Personally, if my friend chose suicide, it would naturally hurt me because I enjoyed their company and valued them, but I would be happy for them because they no longer have to be in pain. I wouldn't resent them for making the choice best for themselves. One of my friends is in a terrible situation that they cannot escape, and while I have tried to help, I don't have the power to do much and cannot fix their shitty situation :(

 

[chris1979]

I think it's a right, but there should be some balance.

 

[rosenwasser]

I do think suicide is a right. It's your life and your body. I do agree with the sentiment that people who've never experienced suicidal thoughts tend to think about sefishness much more than how much pain a person must be in to choose a (very often potentially painful) way out.
I do think that it's preferable to be considerate with the planning if you're able to. I know that drivers often get PTSD when someone jumps under the train or subway and as a PTSD sufferer do not want anyone to feel the same, I would put a warning on the door so that people who find me can call the emergency services and not get confronted with a corpse with no heads-up. For some people the suffering is so extreme though that I do not think we should expect them to think of everyone else first.
One more point: If assisted dying were legal, people could go out peacefully and openly, reducing much of the trauma and shock caused by some suicide cases. I would argue that it's in no small part the stigma around suicide and not the suicidal people themselves, who cause the harm in the environment.

 

[sserafim]

I think it is a right and I do not think that it is selfish. In fact, I hate the fact that people think it is. I believe anyone should have the right to exit and leave the world if they want to.

 

[wanttodie]

I think it is a right and I do not think that it is selfish.

 

[theslasher]

Well of course its a right, you have the ability to do it. I just think our modern day society stigmatizes suicide more so than previous societies. It's very interesting if you study the stoics, it was common for people to ask their friends if they should kill themselves, they'd even give thoughtful answers back. If you're curious look up the story of Tullius Marcellinus. They did not fear death the same way we do in our modern society, and while I don't agree with everything that Stoicism promotes I think their perspective is quite interesting.

I think in some ways maybe it could be selfish, but its negligible. Nobody really owns you at the end of the day, its your body and your life, its literally in your hands and you get to do with it how you please.

 

[turntechGodhead]

i'll never consider suicide as a selfish act ppl should hv the right to not deal w existence especially in a world like this the only reason ppl look at suicide in a selfish way is 4 selfish reasons, what i think is that life has no meaning therefore u hv the right to do as u please we were not built to serve any purpose like clothes or anything else humans hv created so in a world w no meaning u should do what u want n wanting to ctb is 1 of them but it should never be considered selfish imo

 

[TheRedHare]

I think suicide (usually) is selfish, but selfishness is a human right. I personally think it's impossible not to consider an act that is self-inflicted but negatively effects those around you as selfish. But following what I said at the start; (by extension) suicide should absolutely be a human right. However, just because an act is permitted doesn't make the act completely appropriate with no regard for context. Yes, I should be allowed to ctb but that by no means invalidates any negative impact my ctb might have on family members/friends. Therefore, I believe it is selfish.

However, I would enjoy discussing this more, maybe I could learn a new perspective.

 

[LuckyAutumn]

It depends on how you define selfishness, but the term typically has a negative connotation, so i would personally avoid using it to describe suicide. there are obviously selfish ways in which someone can ctb, but the method is abstracted from the concept of suicide. nobody consents to being born, so we should atleast be able to consent to when we die. (by the way, i wasn't able to tell that you weren't a native speaker before you said so.)

 

[sserafim]

i feel like I have heard people talk about suicide being selfish more than i have heard people express sympathy to the people who chose to kill themselves and say something along the lines of "they must have been in so much pain". this isn't about this post I guess, just a random thought I have had on my mind for a while now. people who aren't suicidal will never understand it

Ikr! This makes no sense to me. They would rather talk about the "selfishness" of suicide than try to understand and empathize with how much pain and suffering the person was in. I think that the only "selfish" thing is the fact that other people expect us to keep living for them. They are being selfish for doing so….

 

[Freyja13]

I don't think "right" or "wrong" can be applied to suicide. It just is. It's just something that exists. I strongly believe that the term "selfish" cannot be applied to suicide in good faith as it just seems to be a form of victim blaming.

I understand how it may look to an outsider if someone is standing on the side of a highway, railway, or on top of a building or overpass. Other people will be negatively affected by this person's actions if they go ahead. But I also understand the kind of desperation that drives a person to want to end their life by ANY means whatsoever. No matter if it has negative consequences for other innocent people. Once you lose all hope and feel the anxiety of needing to kill yourself as soon as possible to escape the immense pain and suffering you will do anything to make it stop. You will go to the nearest point of exit you have chosen. There is no regard for other people's wellbeing. Not in a malicious way but instead in a way where you are so all consumed by your pain there is no room in your mind to make more elaborate and well-thought out plans to limit the impact on other people.

 

[zygixx]

Its not cowardly for sure, in order to do it you have beat a very strong instintinct. I tried before and by no means its easy. Selfish? Its your fate you want to control and nobody else.

 

[darkenmydoorstep]

I actually think the word 'selfish' gets an unfair bad rep. It's our life after all, no-one else's. It would be stupid for it not to be SELFish. Who else should it be about?

That said, if a child or pet is dependent on you for care, that's a little different.

You can't spend your life (or death) pleasing other people. I personally wouldn't want to feel I had that kind of hold over someone if they were so intensely unhappy. Why would you want them to suffer? That said, so many people believe their loved one can find a way out of the dark hole they are in. How rooted in truth or myth that is, is difficult to measure because conversations like this don't usually happen irl because of the taboo. And that's a real shame.