This was going to be a comment… somewhere… But it got promoted to a post.
I think a future where society has dissolved the taboo that one should /not/ have control over their own life, is a great and wondrous one. I would argue control over ones life is a cornerstone of freedom, and without that basic right, we are oppressed.
The natural order is to die from disease, not from old age. Today life expectancy has doubled *worldwide* since the 1900s. So, It seems we are just entering the era of death from old age (if 70 is old). Still it is almost always from illness or disease (arguably byproducts of old age, of life). I hated looking into the eyes of loved ones who were ready to die, their stubborn body pumping hot blood, breathing, eyes moving, alive in every sense of the word. But trapped, their mind long gone, miserable in every sense of the word. My family keeping them alive because they are scared of death, instead of putting them out of their misery.
How many of us want to die a slow painful agonizing debilitating death?
I think today, we are the furthest removed from death than at any point in history. I think this causes more problems than “dying early outside your control” (aside: the leading causes of death are illness, how is that in your control?). Death is a part of life, and for far too many it is just an abstract concept. The average person rarely thinks about, rarely faces it. Avoiding it at all costs. How often do you meet someone you can actually have a conversation about death with? I mean, hey I don’t blame them, gotta go see that new movie, gotta get a bigger house, the more expensive car… How many people do you know who have down right suppressed losing someone? Who are unable to come to terms with the loss? How many of us here on SP have put of doing what we desired because we know those around us are unable to handle it?
I find funerals grotesk, instead of talking about the persons life, they talk about how “they are in a better place” and “they are much better off now”. Why can’t we just talk about the person, learn from them. I want to hear stories. Good, bad, tragic, happy, whatever! I want to hear about them, not your sugar coated innuendo. Not your god or your belief in afterlife. What does that have to do with their life? That has everything to do with you! You narcissistic sissy! I care not one iota if they were a “good” person or a “bad” person. I want to learn about them, relish and appreciate their existence; Contemplate mine own.
Anyway, sorry for the rant friend! Were all in this together.
P.S. I wonder what your thoughts about Jack Kevorkian are.
(Funny thing is, I still have lots to say on the title, I didn’t really get into why I think the oppression is awful, and the good I think removing it would do…)
6 comments
cephalus ,
I see your wondering about a lot! all those thoughts running through your head! trying to come to a conclusion, the conclusion is simple, maybe not what you want to know but! I think your on your way to finding out, accepting it is the first step to understanding it.
🙂 rocketman how are you ever so positive. What seems so sad to me is this is literally 1/16 what runs through my mind. I have pages written today that no one will see. That is, on top of going to the dentist for a few hours, then working 8 hours. I sit here, eating the best rice I ever fucking cooked. (Brown with the perfect amount of butter, thyme, pepper and butter. And A perfect medium rare steak)… Plus today, I’ve improved others, still. my mind wanders. I will never accept my thoughts, I will always probe, I will always wonder. It is why most people hate me.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment rocketman, you are true to your name! Another round on me, for rocketman!
cephalus,
because I’ve been there and done that! I found the answers! it’s almost a secrete! of course knowing what’s going on doesn’t mean you have to like it! but it is what it is! your goal is to get over reality and to deal with it, so you can live to the best of your ability and be happy as you can. I had to give up the dream world a long time ago, but I feel so………. much better dealing with the truth.
Strange, my dreams seem so far from the truth that I accept reality for what it is 🙂 Perhaps my latest dream will convince you of this ? Its not boring, I promise.
You are awesome rocketman, keep it up, we need you here.
Hey, that was to one of my posts!
My point was that it is best *for the people you leave behind* to die at a point when others depend on you the least, and that’s typically at the oldest you can manage. But it’s not the only consideration – the curve flattens out over time, and perhaps at some point (if we’re going from a utilitarian standpoint) you honestly believe that your anguish of living outweighs others’ anguish of your dying. So you choose to kill yourself, and it’s “right” according to your belief system. I don’t have much to say about that; I could argue against it from other belief systems, but why?
Note I said it’s the natural order of things to die old, not to die of old age. It’s hard for me to say that somebody who is 70, miserable (and with little chance of getting unmiserable) and with no strong dependents, should live to 90 or whatever. Somebody who’s 40 and with two kids, on the other hand – it’s easier to make an argument there that they should stay alive.
I don’t think arguing for killing oneself as a right does all that much. It’s often wrong to use a right; think of all the hurtful, but protected, things you can do with free expression. Likewise, you can have the right to kill yourself, and in most cases, it will still be an extremely hurtful act.
PS. I’m all for being able to talk about death and suicide openly. It’s necessary to make an informed decision – although I suspect, in most cases, the suicidal will not be pleased with the information he/she receives (“please stay!”).