Why haven't any politicians suggested voluntary euthanasia as a way to deal with the homelessness epidemic?

[Ambivalent1]

If I were homeless, I'd like such an option. It's not like there's any hope for the current batch of homeless people with inflation going on.

 

[Lulzacruel]

because euthanasia is still taboo already, let alone homeless people. you know people would use it as an excuse to claim how the rich are getting rid of poor people

 

[Odahviing475]

That fits the bill for so many dystopian fictions. Corruption would make it far more dangerous too

 

[Ambivalent1]

because euthanasia is still taboo already, let alone homeless people. you know people would use it as an excuse to claim how the rich are getting rid of poor people

True

That fits the bill for so many dystopian fictions. Corruption would make it far more dangerous too

We're already in a dystopia. It's a wonder people seek out chemo when cancer is a blessing during this era.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Pushing to kill off societies 'undesirables' probably isn't something politicians would openly want to admit supporting. They'd prefer to look like they care to their electorate. Plus- in a way I suppose it's a kind of admission of defeat. So- our societies can't effectively help these people- so- why not just help them to die? People know that some people end up on the streets despite their best efforts. They simply can't support themselves on what they earn with the rising cost of living. So- society fails them and then offers them assistance in dying. Doesn't look very good really...

I guess it's the same thing as people saying to us 'suicide is the easy way out'. Maybe offering assisted suicide to those it would be far more expensive to help is the 'easy way out' for our governments.

 

[clavicals]

Because they benefit from the homeless and the poor. They profit off of it. They serve a purpose in society and that's why it's there. If they really wanted to get rid of homeless they absolutely could, but that's bad for business.

 

[Tobacco]

I can see it coming if human society continues for a few more decades. An artificial intelligence could suggest it.

 

[loopdaloop]

Also there's an argument that homeless people usually don't have any close loved ones who could prove that it was their own choice to do it and not a choice that was pushed onto them. The state could get away with killing them againts their will, covering it up as assisted suicide.

 

[ggetout33]

To save face. No politician is gonna go up there and blatantly say that homeless people (or just poor/middle class) people oughta die because whether they like it or not, that's their voter base. It's how they make their money and stay rich.

It makes them look better when in some way they are "fighting against the problem" regardless of political affiliation. Rather, they would quietly support policies that, for lack of a better term, do the work anyways. That way, they get the best of both worlds by looking good, but not actually doing anything to curb homelessness besides killing them.

Now given the way politics have been going these past few years, that just might change. I fully expect the rich elite to collectively go mask-off when they realize they can say it and nobody will care. Just my 0.02

 

[enough of this]

They would, only if they can make money from it.

 

[Ultracheese]

If I recall correctly, Canada has a program for this and it has received a lot of backlash.

 

[Ashu]

We're almost there in Canada.

 

[dernieresolution]

Super unpopular. This site is sadly a minority politics wise on suicide, so 99% of the time you get someone normal, who doesn't understand

Or maybe they do, but they insist on suffering. Interesting people

 

[bedhead_baby]

I'd be worried about the system being abused. People can come back from being homeless. If you were suddenly put in that position, just like a break up or loss of a loved one, impulsive suicide is going to be a lot of people's go-to. Of course there are people who would benefit and would like out, but I don't know how you could safely determine who really wants to die and who is struggling, but ultimately wants to live.

And as mentioned, it would be a good way for the rich to get rid of "undesirable" people. No one homeless or otherwise deserves to die if they want to live, but I think many people already believe they deserve to be gone in their heads, or at least wouldn't care if that was the consensus, so it puts everyone at risk.

I wish there were better systems in place for everyone, for suicide and for recovery.

 

[Csmith8827]

I 2nd this viewpoint...we need to clean these streets up somehow ... lololol....

No I was just making a joke but seriously I've been homeless for a while (I'm not at the moment thanks to my mom) but like I know how crappy it is. We're talking years...like 5+...it's truly a terrible thing to have to go through and you're just kinda trapped in it with no way out... it's like wtf... I'd probably euthanize myself if it were legal for homeless people to do...

 

[sserafim]

I think because it might remind people of eugenics and Nazism: undesirables/"subhumans" being killed off

 

[ijustwishtodie]

Because people's morality aren't such that people who are suffering a lot should be allowed to kill themselves. People's morality are such that, even if somebody is suffering intensely, they should stay alive at all costs due to how bad death is. They see death worse than suffering perpetually for a long time and that's why they can't just kill off people. No matter what, they will always see death as the worst outcome that happens to a human being

 

[Ambivalent1]

Because people's morality aren't such that people who are suffering a lot should be allowed to kill themselves. People's morality are such that, even if somebody is suffering intensely, they should stay alive at all costs due to how bad death is. They see death worse than suffering perpetually for a long time and that's why they can't just kill off people. No matter what, they will always see death as the worst outcome that happens to a human being

Why do they see death as worse than suffering?

 

[ijustwishtodie]

Why do they see death as worse than suffering?

I wish I knew but I don't have their type of mind so I'm not fully sure. That said, I got a theory. They believe that, no matter how much one suffers (unless if it's a terminal disease), there is always a probability that things will get better for them and hence they argue that they should live for this chance to come. Of course, death ends their life then and there and that makes pro lifers think that they lose out on experiencing the joys of life irrespective of their suffering. Essentially, death is worse than suffering to them because death ends all chances to experience joy whereas somebody who's suffering could still experience joy

I also think that death being unknown and suffering being known plays a part in this too but I'm not sure about that as religious people dominate the pro lifers and they believe that what happens after death is whatever their religion preached

 

[Captive_Mind515]

I wish I knew but I don't have their type of mind so I'm not fully sure. That said, I got a theory. They believe that, no matter how much one suffers (unless if it's a terminal disease), there is always a probability that things will get better for them and hence they argue that they should live for this chance to come. Of course, death ends their life then and there and that makes pro lifers think that they lose out on experiencing the joys of life irrespective of their suffering. Essentially, death is worse than suffering to them because death ends all chances to experience joy whereas somebody who's suffering could still experience joy

I also think that death being unknown and suffering being known plays a part in this too but I'm not sure about that as religious people dominate the pro lifers and they believe that what happens after death is whatever their religion preached

So essentially, experiencing joy is seen as being of greater value than alleviating suffering.

Someone's suffering is also subjective, so it's easier to dismiss it or down play it in significance to wider society.

 

[ijustwishtodie]

So essentially, experiencing joy is seen as being of greater value than alleviating suffering.

To pro lifers, yes. They tend to folow positive utilitarianism instead of negative utilitarianism. To them, suffering is just used as a means to an end (that end being happiness). No matter how much they suffer, they'll always focus on the little moments of pleasure that they get

Someone's suffering is also subjective, so it's easier to dismiss it or down play it in significance to wider society.

That's true. People can't ever understand this subjectivity until they experience it for themselves