ArteriesBindEveryon
Student
- Feb 9, 2023
- 100
I can't stand it when people use the word "unalive" instead of "suicide". It comes off as incredibly disrespectful to use a made-up childish word when talking about something as serious as ending one's own life. I understand why people feel they have to say it as many social media sites punish users for saying the word suicide. If you so much as mention suicide in a YouTube video, a massive trigger warning appears over the video and you are required to sign in to watch it. Regardless of the context- even if it's just discussing a fictional work that involves suicide- videos may be subject to this for daring to mention this taboo topic. TikTok is even worse because it straight up blocks videos with certain words from being published at all. Online censorship is an extremely broad topic but it's unfortunately very rare for people to mention how suicidal people are impacted when they're trying to find community.
I think there are two main reasons why platforms feel obligated to do this. Firstly, it's a liability and legal issue. No one wants to be blamed for someone's death and since it's easy to point the finger at a faceless group, the internet is often subject to blame. The other reason is out of a naive desire to help and prevent suicide. While trying to prevent deaths is a noble cause, there comes a point where boundaries are overstepped. From both personal experience and anecdotes of others, I can confirm that a total censorship of suicide leads to those suffering from mental disorders feeling more isolated than ever. If mere self expression is enough to get us silenced, why bother seeking help? Why bother expressing ourselves? These are the messages that are being sent when discussion of suicide is censored.
It's for these reasons that websites like Sanctioned Suicide exist. It's why the suicide rates aren't slowing down. It's why so many people feel utterly hopeless. By making information on this subject scarce, you only force suicidal people to retreat into isolated communities and withdraw from the outside world. This is how people end up with doomer mindsets believing that there is nothing worthwhile on Earth. To truly solve the mental health crisis, censorship isn't the solution. You can close your eyes to a house fire, but that doesn't make it stop burning. The only way to truly make people feel like living is to let them express why they don't.
I think there are two main reasons why platforms feel obligated to do this. Firstly, it's a liability and legal issue. No one wants to be blamed for someone's death and since it's easy to point the finger at a faceless group, the internet is often subject to blame. The other reason is out of a naive desire to help and prevent suicide. While trying to prevent deaths is a noble cause, there comes a point where boundaries are overstepped. From both personal experience and anecdotes of others, I can confirm that a total censorship of suicide leads to those suffering from mental disorders feeling more isolated than ever. If mere self expression is enough to get us silenced, why bother seeking help? Why bother expressing ourselves? These are the messages that are being sent when discussion of suicide is censored.
It's for these reasons that websites like Sanctioned Suicide exist. It's why the suicide rates aren't slowing down. It's why so many people feel utterly hopeless. By making information on this subject scarce, you only force suicidal people to retreat into isolated communities and withdraw from the outside world. This is how people end up with doomer mindsets believing that there is nothing worthwhile on Earth. To truly solve the mental health crisis, censorship isn't the solution. You can close your eyes to a house fire, but that doesn't make it stop burning. The only way to truly make people feel like living is to let them express why they don't.
every sentence you see online nowadays.
