Discussion Suicide: is it selfish to commit it, or to prevent someone to?

[CyVir]

See, i think suicide's a horrible action in which a human can fall, however i do trust in people's desires; even if someone's ill they still have a chance to decide if they want to continue living or if they don't. i keep seeing people so pissed about suicide as if it was their own situation; their own thoughts. why being hard with someone just because they think they're fucked up? let 'em choose and, maybe, make a mistake, but allow that to them, either way, you'll never know, neither they.

Only you are the owner, leader, soul and brain of your own life.

 

[borderline-feline]

"Selfish" is defined in the dictionary as "(of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure." I think either committing or preventing suicide could potentially fall into that definition, but I don't think that selfishness is inherently bad. Living things are meant to prioritize their own wellbeing, and I think that it's a matter of weighing the pain.

The pain of living for a suicidal person is generally greater than the pain that their loved ones would experience if they were to catch the bus, so I would say that in most cases, committing suicide is benign selfishness, while preventing suicide is generally harmful selfishness. There's overlap, and there are outliers, but that's what I think is most common.

 

[SamTam33]

I'd feel like a hypocrite trying to prevent someone from committing suicide. Even if it was someone close to me.

What could I possibly say that would ring true? I'd just be making stuff up AKA lying to get them to stop.

I'm not sure why I'd ever do that.

There's nothing wrong with killing yourself. It doesn't mean you're ill or it's a "horrible action." It just means you took control of the situation.

In most any other circumstance, society applauds that and would affectionately label you a BOSS. We admire people who don't leave their fates up to chance. Right?

People who take the path less traveled. Sooo... why do the rules change when it comes to suicide?

Random stuff I wonder about.

 

[LookingOverTheEdge]

Yes it is. It's an inherently selfish act. But then so is the logic of people wanting you to stick around in pain because they are attached to you. Both are valid feelings and neither cancels the other out. Unstoppable force, immovable object.
Life is full of little jokes like that.

 

[Forever Sleep]

"Selfish" is defined in the dictionary as "(of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure."

I've thought about the phrase and definition often. I do have to agree that suicide is a selfish act to an extent- you are putting your needs and pain over the people left behind.

Still- I especially liked your description of it as 'benign'. I think the irony is- many suicidal people deeply consider the possible impact on those around them. They may have even tried many times to 'get better' or- at least hang on for as long as possible for the sake of other people. Sometimes years- sometimes even decades. I've had ideation for 32 years but I don't want to do it while my Dad is still alive. If/when I do it- yes- it will still be selfish but it could have been far worse.

Also- the suicidal person doesn't commit for profit or pleasure. Everything is lost in death (depending on what you believe of course.) They do it simply to escape pain. Who in their right mind doesn't want to escape pain?!!

I also agree that preventing suicide can be harmful selfishness. While I think it's great that people should care enough to want to help a person regain their life- and it's incredible if that does happen. I don't always think it's possible. The person just ends up stuck in this weird tormented limbo. Pretty much dead to themselves but still maintaining an act for those around them. How is it not selfish to expect someone to go on who is in pain and suffering? (Whether that be physical, mental or emotional pain.)

 

[UKscotty]

A consenting adult has every right to end their life and interference in that is unfair.

If someone wants to go, we have no right to force them to stick around.

Hopefully in a few years the right to die will be as solid as the right to live. Then all these people who interfere or 'rescue' can face justice for forcing people to suffer this life.

 

[FuneralCry]

The reality is that no matter what suicide could never be wrong, even if it does technically benefit ourselves at the expense of others. Grief and loss are an inevitable consequence of bringing life here anyway and nobody should have to stay here a second longer than they wish to, it's as simple as that. Often the whole 'suicide is selfish' argument is used by delusional people trying to guilt trip and force others into delaying the inevitable. It's extreme cruelty making it as difficult as possible for people to leave behind an existence that they never even asked to endure in the first place as after all, it's a personal decision as to when to leave this world. There is simply no value and benefit to endlessly suffering against our wishes just to deteriorate and die anyway.

 

[WorthlessTrash]

It is not selfish to end your suffering in a life you neve consented to having. It is however, selfish for someone to try to stop you, be it a relative doing it because they are attached to you, or some random "savior" doing it to feel good about themselves (they aren't doing it because they care about you. They don't know you so they have no reason to).

It is said that pet owners are being selfish for keeping their cancer ridden pets alive rather than putting them down. I see the same logic can be applied here. It is selfish to keep relatives alive who are suffering. Mental pain, physical pain. It's all valid.

 

[NHLTradeRumor]

"Selfish" is defined in the dictionary as "(of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure." I think either committing or preventing suicide could potentially fall into that definition, but I don't think that selfishness is inherently bad. Living things are meant to prioritize their own wellbeing, and I think that it's a matter of weighing the pain.

The pain of living for a suicidal person is generally greater than the pain that their loved ones would experience if they were to catch the bus, so I would say that in most cases, committing suicide is benign selfishness, while preventing suicide is generally harmful selfishness. There's overlap, and there are outliers, but that's what I think is most common.

This is a pretty good way of putting it. Society puts importance on human life, even if said human is miserable for whatever reason, and it sucks. I showed my friend the first part of your post, and it exemplifies the "sanctity of human life" that pro-lifers believe in. He said verbatim "that's retar**d", and then went on a rant about how society evolved for us to care about others, when this obviously isn't true. People only "care" if you say you're fine, because if you tell them all your problems, they will cut you off eventually. I don't get how pro-lifers can be so ignorant.