TAW122
Emissary of the right to die.
- Aug 30, 2018
- 7,011
This is a common guilt trip and sentiment as well as argument held by pro-lifers to dissuade and discourage others from seeing CTB as an option. As a pro-choicer, I'm am for people choosing whether to live or to CTB and not taking the option fo CTB away permanently. Pro-lifers (I'm probably preaching to the choir here) always see CTB as a wrong decision and never an valid option.
Anyways, in this thread I will be discussing why this sentiment and argument that prolifers hold is fallacious and illogical by exposing it. In most situations where a person mention about their desire, decision, or choice to CTB, more oftenly than not, there is (almost) always several pro-lifers who use the line "you can't CTB because it'll hurt other people!" Not only is this very selfish, dismissive, and invalidating for the person to hear, but it is also illogical. Just by the root of this statement, it is selfish as it is about others collectively, and not about the individual themselves. Sure, it would likely harm other people (especially the survivors and the bereaved), but so many other things can be harmful too, yet we don't stop people from pursuing those options. These options could be such as: leaving a relationship (for whatever reason), leaving a job/position for other ones (or just retiring), rejecting someone else's gifts, leading a unhealthy lifestyle, doing harmful things to the environment, and many more.
So why is this sentiment (held by prolifers) illogical? It is illogical because harm can take many forms and everyday and anytime there is a shortcoming, mishap, discomfort, or loss, there is harm caused. But people aren't being stopped from making choices that are harmful to others. Imagine someone telling another person, "You can't leave said relationship because it would harm the significant other!" There would be so much outrage from that alone and people wouldn't accept it. In other words, if we are to take harm at it's most basic level, which not only includes physical, mental, psychological, emotional harms, then nobody can do anything at all because all their actions will lead to harm of another party. Most people who have some modicum of common sense knows that it is illogical for another person to tell their significant other or others' how to live, to or not to make a certain choice/decision (just because it is not to said person's benefit), and more, therefore, it would be illogical to claim that "you can't CTB because it'll harm others!" while ignoring said person's autonomy and personal decision.
With that said, harm exists everywhere, and where one party (or multiple parties) benefit, there is oftenly a cost to be paid and for the world to work, there is almost always (inevitable) harm being caused. Thus, most people in society accept that when it comes to harm, it only applies solely to physical harm to the person, a person's property, or otherwise important aspect of said person's life (social standing, financial standing, reputation, livelihood, etc.). That is where we draw the line in which we limit certain rights and freedoms as well as make laws and what is allowed and not allowed.
For example, we do not allow stealing because it deprives another party (or parties) of their property/belongings, we do not allow murder because it deprives another individual of their (physical) life, and we do not allow rape/assault because it physically as well as psychologically harms the other person as well as violates their dignity and body. Most people and the masses understand and agree to this at some level (barring those who wish to deliberately seek harm or bad actors).
So in conclusion, the sentiment that pro-lifers peddle about 'CTB being harmful to others' is illogical, dismissive, and invalidating towards the recipient. It is also a guilt-trip in an attempt to goad and pressure the person back into living a life full of suffering. There is just no reason why pro-lifers would use that line other than they have nothing helpful to say, but would (selfishly) wish for others to continue to join them in suffering through the sentience of life.
@FuneralCry @Forever Sleep @RainAndSadness
Anyways, in this thread I will be discussing why this sentiment and argument that prolifers hold is fallacious and illogical by exposing it. In most situations where a person mention about their desire, decision, or choice to CTB, more oftenly than not, there is (almost) always several pro-lifers who use the line "you can't CTB because it'll hurt other people!" Not only is this very selfish, dismissive, and invalidating for the person to hear, but it is also illogical. Just by the root of this statement, it is selfish as it is about others collectively, and not about the individual themselves. Sure, it would likely harm other people (especially the survivors and the bereaved), but so many other things can be harmful too, yet we don't stop people from pursuing those options. These options could be such as: leaving a relationship (for whatever reason), leaving a job/position for other ones (or just retiring), rejecting someone else's gifts, leading a unhealthy lifestyle, doing harmful things to the environment, and many more.
So why is this sentiment (held by prolifers) illogical? It is illogical because harm can take many forms and everyday and anytime there is a shortcoming, mishap, discomfort, or loss, there is harm caused. But people aren't being stopped from making choices that are harmful to others. Imagine someone telling another person, "You can't leave said relationship because it would harm the significant other!" There would be so much outrage from that alone and people wouldn't accept it. In other words, if we are to take harm at it's most basic level, which not only includes physical, mental, psychological, emotional harms, then nobody can do anything at all because all their actions will lead to harm of another party. Most people who have some modicum of common sense knows that it is illogical for another person to tell their significant other or others' how to live, to or not to make a certain choice/decision (just because it is not to said person's benefit), and more, therefore, it would be illogical to claim that "you can't CTB because it'll harm others!" while ignoring said person's autonomy and personal decision.
With that said, harm exists everywhere, and where one party (or multiple parties) benefit, there is oftenly a cost to be paid and for the world to work, there is almost always (inevitable) harm being caused. Thus, most people in society accept that when it comes to harm, it only applies solely to physical harm to the person, a person's property, or otherwise important aspect of said person's life (social standing, financial standing, reputation, livelihood, etc.). That is where we draw the line in which we limit certain rights and freedoms as well as make laws and what is allowed and not allowed.
For example, we do not allow stealing because it deprives another party (or parties) of their property/belongings, we do not allow murder because it deprives another individual of their (physical) life, and we do not allow rape/assault because it physically as well as psychologically harms the other person as well as violates their dignity and body. Most people and the masses understand and agree to this at some level (barring those who wish to deliberately seek harm or bad actors).
So in conclusion, the sentiment that pro-lifers peddle about 'CTB being harmful to others' is illogical, dismissive, and invalidating towards the recipient. It is also a guilt-trip in an attempt to goad and pressure the person back into living a life full of suffering. There is just no reason why pro-lifers would use that line other than they have nothing helpful to say, but would (selfishly) wish for others to continue to join them in suffering through the sentience of life.
@FuneralCry @Forever Sleep @RainAndSadness
