CTB and the Surreal

[XiaroX]

So, every day I see people talking about CTB, and am not sure they know where it comes from. In a recent post, I admitted I was around in alt.suicide.holiday days (and btw, I like that name a lot more than Sanctioned Suicide.) I totally realize I'm going to sound narcissistic, but the thing is, I wonder how the person who popularized the phrase is. I really do. I responded to some of his posts back in the day, and for a short time we exchanged email, but I don't know if he's still out there. I wonder if anyone else ever gives a flying f about this person.

 

[Naz667]

I'm extremely new to this community, so I don't really have much to add about the individual, however I really like the term. "Catch the Bus" sounds so neutral compared to the alternatives, in a good way. Like they are simply taking a mode of transport, nothing taboo or cowardly or sad about it

 

[Forever Sleep]

I hadn't really thought about it coming from one person but then of course- it must have originated somewhere.

As I understood it- it was used back then to try and 'hide' from people who may attack those who freely talk about suicide. So- to make them less prominant in internet searches. Did it come about like that? Were you all thinking of euphemisms at the time?

Whoever it was, it's a bit of a legacy to an extent I suppose. I wonder if they would be pleased about that or not. I can see it sticking around for as long as a version of the forum survives though. It was one of the first acronyms I learnt here.

 

[U. A.]

Is thinking bout other people a sign of narcissism? Isn't that...the opposite?

Anyway this is interesting because I have heard a good few claims of "definite" origins of the term at this point. There was a thread about it before my time

History of the term “catch the bus”?

I have a question. Who first coined the term “catch the bus”? And why not “catch the train” or “catch the flight” or just “checking out”? I’m really curious about the history of the term. Thank you.

sanctioned-suicide.net

and specifically the last comment (which is annoyingly the only one on the second page) gives a "definitive" ASH backstory. If that isn't the story you remember it from, even more interesting.

"Catch the Bus" sounds so neutral compared to the alternatives, in a good way. Like they are simply taking a mode of transport, nothing taboo or cowardly or sad about it

Why the need to scrub the emotional charge of words like suicide, kill, death, etc. on a forum that is specifically for suicide? This imo speaks to a phenomenon (far beyond you, this is no attack) that people are largely in fact not ready to reckon with the harsh reality of killing themselves, which is harsh given all biological processes within us which are outside our control operate with the express purpose of living at all costs.

 

[XiaroX]

Is thinking bout other people a sign of narcissism? Isn't that...the opposite?

OK, so I will freely admit I am drunk off my head right now, and it is probably not the right time to post. I will take the advice you gave me about how to save posts, and try to come back to this post later.

What I meant was that it might seem like I was trying to make myself seem important - I was in a.s.h, I knew the person who in my experience popularized the phrase CTB in a.s.h, but I think even he mentioned where he got it from. So I'll try to look into this, but cannot promise, because my attention span is crap and I am a hopeless addict. I do still really wonder if he's still out there. I was there in 1998, and to me it seemed like he popularized the CTB phrase. I also probably know a lot of a.s.h info, if anyone's interested.

Anyway this is interesting because I have heard a good few claims of "definite" origins of the term at this point. There was a thread about it before my time

History of the term “catch the bus”?

I have a question. Who first coined the term “catch the bus”? And why not “catch the train” or “catch the flight” or just “checking out”? I’m really curious about the history of the term. Thank you.

sanctioned-suicide.net

and specifically the last comment (which is annoyingly the only one on the second page) gives a "definitive" ASH backstory. If that isn't the story you remember it from, even more interesting.


Why the need to scrub the emotional charge of words like suicide, kill, death, etc. on a forum that is specifically for suicide? This imo speaks to a phenomenon (far beyond you, this is no attack) that people are largely in fact not ready to reckon with the harsh reality of killing themselves, which is harsh given all biological processes within us which are outside our control operate with the express purpose of living at all costs.

I do not feel offended, not at all. What I wish for is that people like us do not feel it's necessary to go to horrific extremes - or that they are subhuman or secondclass citizens who do not deserve a peaceful, humane death.

I want people to be more open to discussing death, mental illness, addiction, and end of life options.

 

[XiaroX]

Also, I wanted to say that the person I referenced above was someone I thought of as a really decent, intelligent, humorous person, who deserves credit, who deserves to be remembered.