Many times when suicide is brought up people will say it is selfish. I sometime think is it selfish to think you have a right to make someone live. Do you ever think this? This is just a thought I had, please no preaching on the sins of suicide.
2006-10-09 19:27:03 · 26 answers · asked by haiku_katie 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
My Steve committed suicide last December. I honestly believe he felt he was doing me a favor, taking a burden off my hands. I sympathize with this feeling, but he was wrong: having to go on without him is more of a burden than he realized.
No, I won't preach. In spite of it all, I do believe that one's life is one's own, and if I ever get to the point where I feel the need to take my own life rather than further burden those who care for me, or just to avoid a pain I know cannot go away, I will feel I have that right.
Medical science has now made it possible to keep people alive long past when they can appreciate it. Everyone should have a "living will," or "advance health care directive," or whatever they call it in your state, that gives instructions on how to decide when you are past being able to decide for yourself. The common thing is a "do not resuscitate" order: that is, when you are going to die naturally, let you go.
We cannot, by law, include a request for euthanasia, but we can hope that eventually even that will be legal. In the meantime, all I can say is it is the most extreme last resort, because there is no going back. A failed suicide attempt is a very different thing, after all. People feel manipulated and used, and are justifiably angry at being so frightened.
I do not glorify suicide. I do not say Steve sacrificed himself for me. But I do say that I believe he thought that was what he was doing, and I have forgiven him.
No, it is not always selfish, even if it is mistaken.
2006-10-09 19:42:12 · answer #1 · answered by auntb93again 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is selfish in some ways, or at least it can be, but not always. It has more to do with fear than selfishness. I think that in some ways it's cowardly, because it means that you refuse to fix a situation and would rather just escape. But then i think of the despair that someone would have to experience to do that to themselves, and i know i can't judge them because i have never been that deep into depression and despair before. To do something that final, you can never change your mind, you can never try again, to live your life the way you want it. Committing suicide shows a complete lack of hope that it will eventually be better, or at least a fear of what you may have to go through to get there, or it shows that you no longer want to try. It's an escape. I know that it's wrong, but people do many things that are wrong with much less motivation. Basically, I think that people can't judge unless they've been there, and obviously not many of us have.
2006-10-10 02:39:00 · answer #2 · answered by Hannah 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Selfish to make someone live........ only in circumstances where terminally ill. people contemplating suicide do so (generally) for the reasons , nothing to live for or no way out. And believe me things can look at their darkest but its not the answer and there is always light even if it can't be seen, ur head isn't working within reason and taking a step back can provide a huge moment of clarity but to end it i don't think selfishness even comes into it, when the point comes the only thing ur regretting is hurting the people u love
2006-10-10 02:45:57 · answer #3 · answered by cormac o 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can be very selfish. You get away from your problems, leaving others to pick up after you. Any revenge ("you'll be sorry when I'm gone") suicides are selfish pretty much by definition.
That said, many suicides are the results of depression. The psychic pain of the sufferer can overpower reason.
As a general principle, selfish people are more likely to be selfish in suicide.
2006-10-10 02:39:55 · answer #4 · answered by novangelis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All actions are inherently motivated by personal desires, so in that sense, everything we do is selfish. I had never considered the idea that it is selfish to expect others to not kill themselves for our sake...
However, since everything is really selfish, yes, it is in a sense. The thing of it is that there are degrees of selfishnes. Lots of people want a potentially suicidal person to live, whereas only one person (the potentially suicidal person) REALLY, REALLY wants to see themselves die. Thus, it is more selfish for the suicidal person to kill themselves, because this is an action which "pleases" only one person, where living pleases many people.
Also, most people who have survived a suicide attempt in their past later on enjoy living for their own reasons, so that by not succeeeding on the "selfish" act of suicide, they later on can engage in many other acts that please themselves...
One must wonder, briefly, whether people who succeed at suicides are able to ever regret their decision.
Feeling suicidal? I was once. Gun in my mouth and everything, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, and now I'm glad I didn't. Hopefully you could change your mind before it comes to that.. well, in all honesty, I'll probably never know anyway, and I don't want to be selfish by butting into your life or death decisions. Just saying how I feel. I mean we don't know what death is like anyway, so what's to say it isn't just more of the same, or worse?
2006-10-10 02:46:41 · answer #5 · answered by ye_river_xiv 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is hardly a selfish act because the person ceases to exist. So no, it is not selfish.
People call it selfish because one is leaving behind the relatives, and leaving them all to suffer the loss. Something that is not considerate of others is not necessarily selfish. Have it ever occur to them that their mom could die of a heart attack when she learns. They might feel as if she wouldn't care and nobody cares, but it really is not so. It is hard for any mother to outlive their child. Suicide is devastating to the family that is left behind to live their lives.
2006-10-10 02:35:37 · answer #6 · answered by Snowflake 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being someone who once pondered the thoughts of suicide, I feel very strongly about it.
The only thing that leads you to such desperation is intense (often unbearable pain-physical and emotional) when in that state of mind there is nothing but selfishness. No one can possibly understand where you are emotionally, so frankly they have no say.
Because it shouldn't be the choice that is made it can be seen as selfish, but in a way selfless. Many times when you are in that frame of mind, your family and friends suffer greatly, and you feel you are causing that pain and in a way ending yours could end theirs (though suicidal individuals most likely do not consider greif in this deduction).
It is such a personal thing, and in so many ways entirely blameless.
2006-10-12 00:08:14 · answer #7 · answered by Courtlyn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that suicide is a personal choice and that it has nothing to do with selfishness, nor does anyone have the right to impose their judgments onto anyone. Those who call it selfish and other forms of moral preaching and passing of judgment may even be a catalyst for someone choosing suicide. No one has the right to make someone live if they choose not to. Sometimes suicide is the only morsel of control a person feels they have left. That is more a disheartening comment on society then anything else.
Compassion, nurturing and understanding is what matters most.
2006-10-10 02:35:13 · answer #8 · answered by ontheroadagainwithoutyou 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I think it is a selfish act. A person who chooses to end their own life deprives friends and family of their company. In essence, if you commit suicide, you have chosen to reject all of us other people out there who know you, from ever knowing any more of you, and you didn't ask me or us if this was OK by me or us, so YES, it is selfish to presume I or we no longer want to know you, and make the choice for me or us.
2006-10-10 02:32:52 · answer #9 · answered by rowlfe 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
everyone has thought about killing there self one time or the other it is human nature if you are suffering from a illness i believe you should have that right but the goverment claims that it is against the law to kill yourself which i think is bullshit your body your choice you have to answer to god on judgement day not you will be standing alone i have 3 brothers that killed themself and the people that you leave behind pay the cost what seems to be the end of line never is everything changes the next day god will never but more on you than you can bear the grass is always greener on the other it can only get better
2006-10-10 02:45:42 · answer #10 · answered by twilla l 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋