Very interesting responses and discussion on the topic. I think this raises lots of interesting possibilities of what "could" happen in a hypothetical situation where the dead could give feedback on the afterlife.
in addition feedback from the dead would help suicidal people in finalising their decision on whether or not they want to depart at a certain point in time on their own terms and that would endorse even more the right to die
That would be plausible and could be strong evidence to counter the 'regret' argument that pro-lifers like to use against people who attempt to CTB and fail. Especially when the dead could respond to the living about the aftermath of death.
I'm not sure if you meant this in a more philosophical way or a more practical way, but I decided to go the practical route.
I think it would increase the pushback against CTB at first. The general population isn't well known for reacting to information they don't want to know, especially when that information is presented in a way that both disrupts their sense of morality and is impossible to dispute. After a while though, it would become more acceptable as society will then be forced to consider it.
Government agencies would do everything in their power to keep the information out of the hands of the people, just like they already do with suicide information and resources. Eventually, the more open countries might have more suicide resources so that people can have safer suicides, since they'll finally realize that it will be impossible to prevent anyways and it might offload strain on the healthcare system. It would be allowed for seniors and the disabled first, then eventually for anyone over the age of majority. Other countries however might still keep an iron fist and continue to encourage pro-life rhetoric. Gotta make people pump out kids, where else would you get your middle and lower-class slaves from?
The general populace would vigorously cherry-pick the statements that have negative things to say about suicide, while disregarding the others. If only one statement has a very negative thing to say about suicide, then everyone would only look at that example and how to prevent it. Reminds me of when the right to die was permitted in Canada for people with disabilities, everyone was too busy focusing on the people who got upset by it rather than the people who benefited from it and are now no longer with us. Eventually though, I think more quantitative studies would be conducted to provide a more accurate picture. "Breaking news: study shows that over 90% of people who commit suicide do not regret the decision, dispelling myths about the post-death suicide notes." Studies might also look at how painful or peaceful people's death was based on method, and other information.
Religious zealots would say that the messages are fake and "words of the devil", maybe even that vaccines cause them (lol).
Overall though, I think the statements would still make a lot of changes in the world. If people could say one message after their death, who knows what else people would talk about that they were too afraid to say when they were alive? Pointing out their abusers? Criticizing politics? Sharing corporate secrets? Etc. It would be like an exit interview but for life. It would forcefully unearth a lot of things that the world is unwilling to confront otherwise.
Thanks for the cool topic, this one was fun to write.
Thanks for your inputs and yes, I think a lot of these things "could" happen, especially for people who are in power, they don't want to lose that 'power' and control over the populace.
This reminds me of the Houdini story. He promised his wife, Bess, that if it were possible to communicate with the dead, he would come back to her, should he die first. And he gave her a code to help prove it. But after 10 years with no success, Bess stopped trying to contact her husband. Others have tried after her with no success either but I think if there was a way I think a lot of people would be skeptical at first but then as it became testable/provable to the general public and it became like a normalize thing because of the overwhelming evidence and accessibility, I think it would change a lot of things to be honest especially peoples attitude towards the right to die eventually. I think if a person who had CTB had communicated with us and said that they weren't punished for it and there wasn't any negative repercussions for doing so then eventually things would change slowly but surely. I'm sure though as well that not all religious organizations would drop dead in the water and I'm sure there would be plenty of complete deniers who would take their wrong beliefs and religions to the grave even if they were proven dead wrong demonstrably so.
Good example, and I think if there was evidence against suffering and what not, then it would definitely dispel a lot of religious arguments and faith-based positions about death and the aftermath of death. A lot of pro-lifers are religious and I'm sure that would deconvert them or at least help them break out of the religious indoctrination (except for the really religious hardliners).
It would depend entirely on the afterlife. That person would surely still need to be sentient in order to give feedback in the first place. So- then it depends. Are they living it up in heaven with no pain, no responsibilities, endless joy? In which case- sure- they'd be saying- don't delay! Come and join me! If they're in a worse state though- they could equally be saying- don't even consider it!
It's an odd concept really because, we're talking about total unknowns. If we still have awareness after death in the same way- then- we are aware of time. We are presumably aware of what we are missing back down on earth. What are these sentient spirits (or whatever) doing in this afterlife? Are they still capable of feeling human emotion? In which case- don't you think they'll be pissed off about that? It's yet more life in effect. Only if that life was better would they be saying it was a good thing.
Or- are you thinking about a very small window of time in which the deceased person could communicate with the living? In which case- it would probably also vary from person to person. There have been people who jumped from a bridge and survived who later said they regretted the decision the moment they had jumped.
Like all major decisions in life- seeing as we don't know the future, people do still sometimes have doubts and regrets after making a big decision- before actually knowing how it will pan out. That's the problem really. We can never be sure about the future or potential future. The not knowing will upset some people more than others. Probably depends on how they saw and valued life. If they thought it was all total shit- no doubt- they'd be comfortable with their decision. But- if they had even a tiny amount of hope left- maybe they would be thinking: 'What if?...'
Plus- presumably they can see what's going on on earth? What if their suicide is devastating people they cared about? What if they got to understand their pain? Would that make them regret the decision? Possibly in some cases.
I expect it would vary person to person. Maybe it would give people reassurance and closure if they got a message from the beyond that their loved one was now at peace. It wouldn't exactly stop them missing them though. Plus- it would affirm to them that their loved one absolutely chose to abandon them- knowing how much it would upset them. I think that's maybe too painful for some people to face. Maybe they would prefer it that their loved one was gripped by a moment of insanity rather than that they made the choice logically and didn't regret it. People may pretend that suicide prevention is for the sake of the individual who wants to commit but surely- it's just as much- maybe even more about the people left behind.
Let's say a mother of 3 children kills herself and sends a message to her kids about how happy she is now. Will that help her children? Will it make other children more willing to see their parents die? No- because they need them. Lots of relationships can feel like that- people feel like they need other people.
If they couldn't understand why they wanted to CTB while they were alive- why would they change that opinion much when they died? They would surely still be saying there was that elusive thing in life that they didn't get round to trying that would have turned everything around. Presumably we're talking about pro-lifers here? For them- there always seems to be a way to live (happily.)
Yeah I think there are quite a lot of variables at play, those who survived and regret the decision are oftenly regretting the consequences of failure (including the loss of bodily autonomy, permanent damage, and worse quality of life than prior to the attempt). With regards to how people would respond, it would depend on their disposition and attitude as well as experience in their life. If they have gone down the road of suffering and understand that suffering is bad and the absence of it, then yes, they
may change their view on the right to die, they may support the right to die (voluntarily).
They'd just be glad to be relieved of the ability to suffer, there are no disadvantages to not existing after all. And I personally believe that pro-life people would see this way of thinking as "irrational" despite the fact that it's anything but unless something happened to make them wish for death.
Sadly pro-life people are very deluded, I mean someone must be to see death as the worst outcome possible even despite the fact that existence is the ultimate cause of all suffering with no limit as to how much one can suffer yet nobody can suffer from not existing.
This is true and yes, of course pro-lifers are delusional as their entire position (the most main premise) is based on faith, assumption, and assertion without "objective" evidence to support it.
Well, it heavily depend on the feedback and what afterlife looks like. Some people affraid of dying because religious fanatic always scared them with the punishment of hell. In my religion, islam people who killed themself will go to hell (or at least that's what a lot of islam follower believe), so let's say that hell and heaven are real and all people who commit suicide will go to hell, then it's possible that some or most suicidal person going to abandon their plan cause religious people believe that hell is much worse than earth.
Second possibility, there are no heaven and hell but only nothingness. Well, i can't say much about this because in this scenario. Lot of suicidal people actually desire nothingness or i should say the ability to not feel anything, so pro-choice or pro-life supporter dont change that much. Those who had enough of life probably will end their life and those pro-life who love life so much, they gonna defend the value of life until the end of time.
My conclution is that, the feedback from the dead are really dependent on the truth behind the mystery of death. If Hell exsist? prolly a lot of people gonna rethink their decision, if it just nothingness? The supporter wouldnt change that much
So that's my takes about this discussion, im sorry if my english were mess up. Have a good day
Interesting point of view, and yes, if the dead could give some feedback on the experience (or lack thereof - but in some indirect way), then it would unshroud the mystery of death and also dispel any fears (if those fears are unfounded or untrue). Also, you speak very coherently and I can understand you.
