Fuck Suicide

[ONSLAUGHT]

Yesterday, someone I knew, not very well, but well enough killed himself.

Fucking hell.

Being a friend I ought to feel sympathy, but I can't feel any due to the fact I feel suicide is the weakest way to go out. If your life is at such an extreme(which his wasn't, in fact it was a pretty good one)that your own life doesn't matter, then being afraid of the law, consequences, etc shouldn't matter when it comes to your problems. You should be able to do something about your problem with no fears, no regrets, nothing since apparantly your life isn't worth it anymore. Taking the easy way out of your problems, unacceptable.

It doesn't matter who it is, how much I respect them or how close I am to them, any way of dying is better than suicide.

How about you? How do you feel about it?

[GenesisOne]

To me, suicide is the ultimate disregard and devaluing of your own life and those who care about you. 

It's like giving the people who care about you the finger before offing yourself.  I've heard it called "a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

I've recently been discussing such things in my Philosophy class this semester (more specifically, Contemporary Conflicts of Morals).  Kant talked about what is called a Universal Law approach to one's actions and activities.  Paraphrasing it:

"Treat every action you commit as if it were a universal law."

In the case of suicide, by doing so, you are sending out a message to every other person out there with suicidial tendencies that it's okay to commit suicide, even though it isn't.

Anyways, that's my two cents worth about it.  What says you?

[ZombieBucky]

im really sorry to hear about your friend, onslaught.
my personal view of suicide is that it shows a lack of gratitude for the gifts that you have been born with. my family wasnt really well off until my dad split up with my mom. i still feel thankful that i have a roof over my head and food in my belly. slaves in olden times didnt commit suicide (to my knowledge). people in poor countries dont either. when you have food in your stomach and a roof over your head, but your parents dont 'understand' you, why should you do it?

[Zephira]

Small correction, Bucky... slaves didn't commit suicide, so much as just stop breathing of their own accord and die while on the slaver ships.
The thoughts leading to suicide could be considered a mental illness, just like aspberger's or anything else. There are certainly many more rewarding ways to deal with your problems. A lack of enthusiasm for absolutely everything requires some serious medical and psychological help.

[FaustWolf]

So sorry to hear about this, Onslaught. Suicide, among other forms of self-harm, is a huge problem in Western society, and is probably given far less attention than it deserves. Psychologically, my guess is it happens when someone loses perspective and can't see a way out of some dilemma he or she perceives (disregarding situations like being stuck in a burning building a la 9/11, where it becomes something we might all see ourselves doing even in a sane mindset).

Just because someone appears to have a cool life on the outside doesn't mean the person living that life sees it that way. Depression and loneliness aren't readily visible, and people experience these things for reasons third party observers might not be able to appreciate. Someone can become so poisoned by depression that he or she thinks they're in fact doing the world a favor by jumping off this mortal coil, or perhaps they want to escape humanity out of a sense of misandry. Sometimes the difference between life and death is as simple as a friendly gesture or even a piece of art that breaks a person's dolorous mood. That's why each of us needs to remain conscientious of the feelings of those around us, and furthermore do what we can to beautify our world.

This issue is why the Springtime of Youth is so important. It helps us find fulfillment in our dreams, and innoculates us from this kind of thinking.

[Sajainta]

people in poor countries dont either.

That is incorrect.  Link.  Out of those top 10 countries, only Japan is really considered to be "First World".

[Sajainta]

I'm sorry about your friend Onslaught.  I can empathize--one of my friends committed suicide when we were both 13.  It was very difficult.  My condolences.

It doesn't matter who it is, how much I respect them or how close I am to them, any way of dying is better than suicide.

What if you knew you were going to be tortured and then murdered?  Or you knew you were going to die in some other grismal way at the hand of someone else?  (Grismal = gruesome and dismal.  I just made a new word.  Yay me.)  I know that sounds super extreme and is probably (and hopefully) never going to happen to anyone reading this, but I thought I'd challenge the "any way of dying".  I'd pick suicide over that.  Personally, I would rather die by my own hand rather than giving someone else the pleasure of taking my life.

I'm not going to lie--I've attempted suicide.  People can think I'm weak or pathetic for doing so (and I won't really give a shit if they do).  I know some people kill themselves in kind of a "Hey--fuck you.  Now you'll feel horrible for the rest of your life." fashion, but I'd be willing to bet that most people do it out of severe, severe depression or mourning or fear.  Some people even think they are doing their loved ones a favour by ending their lives.

It's difficult to understand suicide without actually having been there--on the side where you feel completely hopeless and truly feel as if it's the only way out, as if it's the only way to quell any suffering, or spare others pain.

Should they get help?  Yes, yes, and yes.  Is there hope?  For the most part, I would say yes, yes, and yes.  But that is not what the suicidal person is thinking.  They honestly cannot see any other way.  Their mind is completely clouded by despair.

Fuck suicide?  Of course.  But I'd say more "Fuck the reasons why people would be driven to think that ending their lives is the only escape".

[ZeaLitY]

Someone from my high school recently committed suicide as well because of Internet bullying. This guy was the last person I'd expect to do something like that. He was popular, athletic, and all-around unflappable. He was a person almost hard to approach because he had a hard charisma about him.

It's terrible.

[Kodokami]

Man, this is terrible to hear. I hope to never be faced by the thought of suicide, and I feel sorry for those who do. Not because I think they're stupid or anything like that, no; but because there are so many things in life to enjoy. We only have one life, and should be living it in the fullest. Still, I can see how severe depression and other factors can lead to such thoughts.

[Lord J Esq]

Suicide is a tricky subject to politicize. I am against the institutionalization of it, although I can't make my opposition unconditional. I am also against the popular stigmatization of it. I support its legality and practice at the discretion of individuals. I think suicide is a legitimate act of self-determination. None of us can make this decision for another person. The best we can do is offer our perspective to those who contemplate suicide.

My opinion is that many if not most suicides are committed in bad judgment. Whether the bad judgment is situational or characteristic, the consequence of suicide is permanent. That by itself ought to dissuade reasonable people from acting on a suicidal impulse out of acute emotional distress (as opposed to premeditation)...but people are seldom reasonable. C'est la vie. The thing about suicide is that, if you succeed, you're dead, and I am not concerned about the deceased--so, on a technicality, I cannot oppose suicides which are committed in bad judgment. As for suicides committed in good judgment, of course I cannot oppose these either.

When somebody commits suicide, I am almost always disappointed. Occasionally I am saddened or angered as well. In rare instances I am relieved. It depends on how I interpret the suicide. But my interpretation is of little significance...as are yours, and everybody else's. Suicide is a personal matter. The best that a society can do is give individuals every reason and opportunity to not have to confront it. The best that friends and family can do is give troubled individuals empathy and attention, and, where feasible, support, friendship, and understanding.

[Battler]

Just to lighten the mood.

But yeah suicide sucks etc.

[ONSLAUGHT]

Battler, thank you for that. Really, that has helped me and the first laugh I've had since this has happend.

As to Sajainta's post, I understand both sides. I hit rock bottom. Starving, constantly attacked with my life put in life or death. I was living as horribly as any of those charity cases you hear about. I was ready to do it. But then, a thought hit out of nowhere. Not a voice of reason, not my concious(I hope it wasn't since), but it was a very angry voice. Like Incredible Hulk angry. Telling me and making me think "Hey, wait a minute. If I do this, they're just gonna win. I'll have given up and they'll all have beaten me. No. No way, fuck that. FUCK. THAT! It's time to stop being such a little bitch, stand up for yourself, take control of your life and fucking solve your problems! If it's really such a life or death situation, treat it like one! Don't think running away is an answer cause it's not! Options are A.) Get royally fucked, let them laugh at you and lose or B.) Take a stand, arm yourself with words, intelligence, fists, authorities, whatever and fight back and kick some ass. When Magus got boned, did he quit? NO! He dedicated his life to getting back and putting his life in order. If you're such a big fan, then start showing it!"
Sure I got in some serious trouble for a couple weeks after a few fights since words didn't seem to do anything but you know what? Definetly not the best response. But it was better than suicide. And no one's dared messed with me since, unless thy don't know me or they're just really stupid. Whether it's with words or actions, I'm prepared to take care of myself and those I hold most dear no matter the cost.
I say i love Chrono for a reason, it controls my life for a reason, it's saved it even though it's just a video game on more than one occasion. Having a split personality has also seriously helped save me before, but mostly Chrono.

Now, here's what's also bugging me. Now everyone I know wants a memorial for the guy. I understand memorials for people who were hit in accidents and it wasn't their fault, or murders, etc. But because someone wasn't happy with their life and they offed themselves they deserve a memorial? No, just...no... I'm depressed again just thinking about it.

[Radical_Dreamer]

Now, here's what's also bugging me. Now everyone I know wants a memorial for the guy. I understand memorials for people who were hit in accidents and it wasn't their fault, or murders, etc. But because someone wasn't happy with their life and they offed themselves they deserve a memorial? No, just...no... I'm depressed again just thinking about it.

We don't throw memorials to commemorate how people died. We throw them to commemorate how they lived.

[Temporal Knight]

Hrmm....

Suicide. Such a sad, seemingly dishonorable way to go. Of course, that depends upon the country and ethical origins you span from.

In any case, I am sorry to hear of this. I myself know the tale of suicide. Back several years ago, I wasn't the man you see standing before you. I once tried it myself. By bullet, twice, but decided it was too grotesque. Then by poison, and ended up only getting sick to the stomach. Then I found friends, willpower, and overcame myself. I'll leave out the details why I was like that. A very very very very long story.

And then there was...well....I'd rather not talk about that unless it is forced out of me or in private. It also ties into why I was suicidal in the above statement.

In any case, such is a terrible thing, to waste life. Ending the Time of oneself before that Time can be used properly, and the life being thrown away as if nothing more than trash....I cannot help but wish those lost souls a second chance at life. And if they did it for darker reasons, or evil reasons, then I wish them change. If only our world was smarter than that, with things like this.

[Shee]

Damn.

So sorry to hear, it's never easy.  A friend of mine took his own life a couple years ago...I actually went on a rather long and bumbling rant about it early on in my SOY thread, but deleted it, a little close to home.  Point is, the thing that hurt me and haunts me the most is seeing his mother there and how she reacted, and all the subsequently frightening and bizarre behavior that followed. For the first 36 hours afterward, their home was a MESS until we could get some help in there and clean things up.

I have no clue what your friend's situation was with their family, but if you are near their family, be there for them.  Don't gripe over the selfishness of it all.  It is a very very selfish act.  Don't think about it.  Think about the help you might be able to give.


On a much lighter note, my friend the great State Senator Clay Davis would like to share some words with you.  Well maybe one word  .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30YW3wgRvyI