Discussion Why I don’t think MAiD programs will gain traction anytime soon.

[Anxieyote]

I don't think government-assisted euthanasia will be approved for the average citizen anytime soon. Here are some of my reasonings behind why I think that, but I do hope I am proven wrong.

If it's easy and accessible, mothers of the deceased are going to storm into the doctor's office and say, "You killed my son!!" to whoever prescribed the peaceful pill. The doctors who do prescribe it may be killed in turn by disgruntled family members who feel like what the doctor did was the equivalent of murder; and justify it in their head with "eye for an eye" logic.

Then there will be protests with signs saying "Murder is illegal. Why did we make an exception?" or photos of doctors who prescribe the pills on giant billboards saying, "THESE MEN ARE MURDERERS." Religious people will also have many things to say on the matter; and many a sermon to preach.

The emotional pleas are always going to be too strong, especially when we are talking about people who have lived on this planet for awhile. Because not only do those people have a history of being useful to the establishment (keeping the economy and workplaces functioning), but also to other humans who have vested interest in keeping them alive.

They likely have partners, friends, coworkers, kids, who have developed emotional attachments to them; and although the term "used" may come across as insensitive when you're talking about people who care about them; it's not unreasonable to assume that there can be a degree of selfishness at play for wanting to prevent someone else's death.

It would not be very convenient (or preferred) for a wife to have her husband die, for example. Now she has to pull double-duty raising the kids by herself, or finding a new partner to mitigate the responsibilities of her life and the lives of her children.

Either way, it is a large burden and emotionally-taxing. And since wanting to prevent someone's death is typically seen as "caring", they would not even need to provide reasonable justifications for objecting to their death. Their personal motives for wanting that person to stay alive wouldn't be questioned; always presumed to come from a "caring" place—even if their primary motive for doing so was because they would personally benefit to prolong the suffering of said individual.

I will never forget the conversation I had with my mother after I got back from my first psychiatric ward visit. She said, "Please don't end your life…I want to be seen as a good mother; and no one would see me as one if you did that."

That frank admission helped me to see that a person's identity is just a collection of their personal narratives; and that our presence contributes to those narratives. My role as my mother's son is to prove to the rest of the world that she is a good mother; through my successes and personal achievements. A dead son would undermine the narrative that she was a good mother (or at least assumes that's how most would see it).

Abortion access is a much easier pill to swallow for the masses. None of us have met or interacted with an aborted baby, but thousands of people have interacted with a person by the time they would qualify for a MAiD referral. "I want to die" will never be accepted as an admission of consent, and those who knew the individual will present a billion reasons as to how their lives could be fixed.

Could've, would've, should've; these hypotheticals don't really matter once the suffering has reached a certain point. I can only speak for myself, but I am tired of theorizing what my life could potentially be; I just want it to end—which is well enough of a justification coming from an adult.

My dream would be to at least see an age requirement for death consent in our lifetime. Imagine how much relief that would bring; knowing that no matter how hard things got, no matter how much pain you were suffering through—you would have a "finish line" to reach. We already do, but is it fair for someone who has made up their mind at 25 that life is not preferable to them; to wait until they reach age 85 or 90 to die of natural causes? It's only reasonable we have a MAiD service for those individuals.

But for the reasons I listed, I am not optimistic. I am least thankful I live in a time where the information is freely disseminated enough that I can find websites like this that provide information about CTB methods. Let's hope it lasts.

 

[Un-]

You're not wrong. There's a tonne more reasons too: religious ones, political ones and so forth. I think the only time it realistically can happen is when society's (I hate that term but it's true) attitude of particular groups.. Isn't...pre-made.

I mean it's something this forum has taught me. Media have told people that this place encourages suicide. It's false. But how many people other than us know that? They get told this lie, and then unless they for some reason want to see evidence, remain ignorant towards it forever.

I can't blame them. It's impossible to research and know everything. But it's equally as dangerous to take something as it is.

It happens everywhere, really. The larger the group, the less likely, but still.

Unless that.. Attitude changes, I doubt people will really get behind this MAID thing.

Suicide fuel.

 

[Someone123]

The is some doctor assisted suicide in the u.s., in ten states plus d.c., and this will likely gradually expand for people who are elderly and termianlly ill, and maybe for temrinallly ill people of all ages, but the progress will be slow, and it won't help most people here.

 

[FuneralCry]

It's sad how other people would make someone else's death all about themselves rather than thinking about how the person who has died is free from whatever this life has burdened them with. But after all, humans are very self centred, so it wouldn't be surprising to me that people would act in such a way. There really should be a system for legal assisted suicide everywhere, but sadly the world that we exist in is so focused on prolonging life, it's like some people forget the fact that we will all die anyway, continuing to exist could only ever be delaying the inevitable.

But to me it will always be so wrong if people have to struggle so much to reach a fate that they are already destined for, I also hope that the society's attitudes towards suicide change and that assisted suicide becomes more accessible, as it would certainly be a massive relief to so many people just having that option, but sadly I do believe that only those who are very lucky will die that way.

 

[Seiko]

The option should be available on a case-by-case basis with an individual's consent and after a comprehensive review from mental health professionals. Physician-assisted suicide would reduce many of the traumas accompanying self-inflicted suicide, such as wounding or disfigurement.

 

[Resinn66]

I think we will see euthanasia spread in many countries soon. Canada is a G7 G20 country this mean that the others countries of the group will follow (it happened with abortion).
The only problem is that it's not politically correct. The politicians being the majority of the people pro-life, are afraid of losing support

 

[TAW122]

I read your post and you brought up lots of good reasons for why MAiD programs would not really progress anytime soon. I really hope that this isn't the case and that at the very least, they would allow it for terminally ill, chronically ill, and those who have been suffering for an inordinate amount of time with no reasonable prognosis of reprieve.

You're not wrong. There's a tonne more reasons too: religious ones, political ones and so forth. I think the only time it realistically can happen is when society's (I hate that term but it's true) attitude of particular groups.. Isn't...pre-made.

I mean it's something this forum has taught me. Media have told people that this place encourages suicide. It's false. But how many people other than us know that? They get told this lie, and then unless they for some reason want to see evidence, remain ignorant towards it forever.

I can't blame them. It's impossible to research and know everything. But it's equally as dangerous to take something as it is.

It happens everywhere, really. The larger the group, the less likely, but still.

Unless that.. Attitude changes, I doubt people will really get behind this MAID thing.

Suicide fuel.

Yes the media is a big problem when it comes to the truth. There are many of them trying to paint a certain picture or promote a narrative, such that they twist or misrepresent information so that it would fit their narrative to feed to the masses. It would require a concentrated effort of educational campaigns and advocacy to undo the falsehoods and myths told by the media.

The is some doctor assisted suicide in the u.s., in ten states plus d.c., and this will likely gradually expand for people who are elderly and termianlly ill, and maybe for temrinallly ill people of all ages, but the progress will be slow, and it won't help most people here.

This is true, despite those states having those laws on the book, access to said laws is so difficult that it only applies to a very small segment of the population, and even then, no guarantees of receiving said service. It's quite sad that there hasn't been more states (we are in 2022 and soon 2023) that have death with dignity laws on the books. Even more so, the current laws in their infancy are still very limited in how they can apply to the general population.

It's sad how other people would make someone else's death all about themselves rather than thinking about how the person who has died is free from whatever this life has burdened them with. But after all, humans are very self centred, so it wouldn't be surprising to me that people would act in such a way. There really should be a system for legal assisted suicide everywhere, but sadly the world that we exist in is so focused on prolonging life, it's like some people forget the fact that we will all die anyway, continuing to exist could only ever be delaying the inevitable.

But to me it will always be so wrong if people have to struggle so much to reach a fate that they are already destined for, I also hope that the society's attitudes towards suicide change and that assisted suicide becomes more accessible, as it would certainly be a massive relief to so many people just having that option, but sadly I do believe that only those who are very lucky will die that way.

This is true, especially given the current death with dignity laws in the states that allow it. One has to meet a very specific criteria, oftenly very stringent and limiting, just to even have access to the service. It is indeed appalling and an big injustice.

The option should be available on a case-by-case basis with an individual's consent and after a comprehensive review from mental health professionals. Physician-assisted suicide would reduce many of the traumas accompanying self-inflicted suicide, such as wounding or disfigurement.

That would be a good idea in my opinion. Sometimes, even some of these people may even change their minds if they know that they can have the right to a dignified, peaceful death.

I think we will see euthanasia spread in many countries soon. Canada is a G7 G20 country this mean that the others countries of the group will follow (it happened with abortion).
The only problem is that it's not politically correct. The politicians being the majority of the people pro-life, are afraid of losing support

I hope that is the case too. I know as religiosity dwindles, more common sense enlightenment can take hold and over time, as societies become more mature and compassionate, MAID and similar programs will become more likely to be implemented, even if it starts off as a basic form.