Are people that commit suicide cowardly or courageous?

Question

Before you automatically answer this question, think about the Samurai who thought it was honourable to kill themselves and also think about the topic of euthanasia - do you think it just relies on the context? Also, if you fly into the face of a certain death, is that suicide?

Answer 1

Any reason relies on the mental state of the person committing suicide, and obviously this can vary greatly. Debt, relationship problems, etc, are usually spontaneous suicides, which haven't really been thought through as the person simply believes there's no viable future.

With euthanasia, diability, a terminal illness where there *literally* is no hope is, in my opinion, perfectly okay. (Think Dignitas in Holland.) This I feel is courageous.

The former, not cowardly, just stupid.

As for the Samurai - they had a strict code to protect honour and would probably have been kiled if they didn't do it themselves; and their family would be ousted from the community. Tough choice...

Answer 2

Suicide can be instigated by fear, depression, panic, or, as with the Samurai you mentioned, culture. Also in war people go on suicide missions (like the infamous Kamikaze), where the assumption is that one death causing many enemy deaths is honourable. Terrorists usually are under the same assumption.

Euthanasia is helping people to die, which is more like assisting in suicide.

To call the people cowardly or courageous is a more difficult distinction. Someone who risks his own life to save someone else's life is definitely courageous, but is not commiting suicide.

Difficult to answer, this one, since there are so many sides to the story.

Answer 3

I also feel that it depends on the circumstances. If suicide is an escape from an unpleasant life or a debilitating terminal illness and death less painful than living - as such it could be seen as the easy way out. Of course some may take their own lives because they feel they are a burden on their families and that must take tremendous courage. Though if that is the cause then surely they should discuss their plans with family first - that would take courage. If you die for a "religious cause" then it is often because of the promise of a reward in the next life - steered by their faith these people are "brainwashed" and should be regarded as selfish.

Answer 4

In the main cowardly. Afterall it is their friends and family that are left to pick up the consequences. Not just the emotional consequence, but the financial and legal outcome, often this outweighs the balane of love/hat for the friend or family that has departed. On the othrhand euthanasia is often acceptable if all parties agree that it is for the best, again though the after affects need to be discussed prior to commting suicide. The japnese pilots (kamikaze) are also wrong. It is merely ritual that they do this, believing that a greater good will come from their acts (same can be said of modern day suicide bomber). The affect afterwards on their families often outweighs the moral ground they believe they will get from commiting their act. There are though some instance where the whole ethos of life is such for all family and friends where the after affects are regarded as acceptable, but in the whole as a society (earth community) there is no justification in preplanned suicide. Your question on suicide on near certain death example. This is not suicide. If you are in a situation where you are going to die, but if you "die" faster in order to save another then this is human nature, humans will always in their subconcious minds put themselves before others in situations whereby nature decrees that if you die good will come from the person who survives. This is puerly natural, there is no planning or premeditated thought process going into this

Answer 5

Neither.......suicide is selfish.
When you take your life its over for you, but what about all the people you've left behind wondering why. Your parents, you children, partners, friends and other family members. No matter how bad life gets theres always someone who cares and will be left to pick up the pieces of a suicide.

Euthanasia is different. People know why you have chosen to do this, and they get that last chance to say goodbye.
With samurai's it was there beliefs, there way of life and they would be honoured by there people.

Answer 6

It does depend.

The Samurai are bound by their culture of total discipline to do what they do. A terminally sick person who is in agonising pain with no prospect of relief, in my view, would be justified in seeking an end to their life. People who jump under trains should seek help or be identified before the event and offered treatment, because when they do it, it can ruin other people's day - not least those who have to clean up the mess.

Flying into the face of certain death is just stupid.

Answer 7

Suicide is ingrained as an honorable death, like you say, in the Samuari or the Kamikazi fighter pilot. I bet those dudes are really frightened and expected to face it without a trace of fear. Now, there are those, who, in a state of despair or sadness, think that their only way out of a life they are too emotionally distraught to deal with, is suicide. These people are neither cowardly nor courageous. They are trapped. Either by their society or by thier sadness. They are prisoners of their own beliefs.

Answer 8

Having worked with a few people who have tried to commit suicide and failed; it is neither brave or cowardly. To the person who's wanting to end it all it's the only way out of their problem that they can perceive. Some just do'nt want to live any longer and some are unbalanced and cannot think straight.

Answer 9

It depends on the circumstances. when people get dumped by their boyfriend/girlfriend, to kill yourself to avoid the pain or to get back at the other person would be cowardly because they're not thinking about the effect it would have on the other person, or their family who have to live the rest of their lives without them. I think that is selfish.
For someone who is terminally ill, i think it makes them a strong person. That woman who flew to another country where euthansia was legal and ended her life early before she was too sick, was very brave. She did it because if she left it too late, she'd be unable travel there and do it. She sat and had her last meal with her children, knowing that tomorrow she'd be gone, i thought was so brave and i couldn't have done it, so for people like that, i have the utmost respect

Answer 10

I tend to think they are deluded. Courage would not commititng suicide in the face of events. Cowardice is running away from your problems (to live another day?), some suicides could be.

There is always a cow as a partner for a coward, but the courageous might be alone?