Discussion Why is suicide considered a taboo?

[Breadbfra]

In small mindend countries, like mine, suicide is still considered a "tremendous" death, something to be ashamed of, something not to talk about it...how is that? Why? Is it for the only reason it goes against the antropologist concept of self preservation of the human race or there's something else? Catholicism's vision of suicide? Misunderstanding of the act?

 

[WornOutLife]

Because humans are programmed to survive no matter what, so, the NPCs of this world (basic/normal people), just can't comprehend how on earth a human would feel like killing himself/herself.

 

[AbsoluteNothingness]

I don't know, it shouldn't be. I will never even understand why "pro-lifers" exist. Everyone should be pro-choice. 'Society' talks about people having 'freedom' to things but when it comes to death/having the right to die they suddenly ignore it and even think it's "selfish". Just like everyone has the right to live, everyone should also have the right to die. No one asked to be born in the first place so we all should have the right to die if we just simply want to (my case, im not suffering at all in any way, I simply just want to die, not because of any reason/reasons in 'particular' and or 'general') or we are suffering and can't take the pain anymore.

 

[_Minsk]

Religions have contributed to it, they made life a 'gift' and suicide a 'sin' so people would continue paying their extreme taxes to them. its sad to see how much damage has been done but after all, just look at us humans, we're stupid as hell and most of us don't question anything..

 

[Soulless Angel]

In material items, rejecting a gift is seen as rude and not done, to not like what you have been handed is seen wrong on every level, whether you like it or not, you have to smile and accept it,
This is life, people simply cannot understand not wanting to live, some think that life is a gift that should be lived and enjoyed, and to not want this is rejecting said gift, and taking your own life is doing exactly that, slapping people in the face and saying this gift sucks you messed up I am out,
People don't like that, nope, not acceptable to many out there

 

[Meditation guide]

In small mindend countries, like mine, suicide is still considered a "tremendous" death,

That's almost all countries. Lack of understanding and empathy in the human race
is what is the really shameful thing, not suicide.

 

[schopenh]

We (99.9999% of the population) have a deeply ingrained survival instinct; a very powerful aversion to death. If that did not manifest in our belief systems, I'm not sure what else would make the cut.

 

[Kramer]

Because people are stupid

 

[StringPuppet]

Because most people are afraid of it being an option. They'd rather pretend like the simple act of a person having control over their own fate is something that should be overcome. Makes no sense to me.

 

[Breadbfra]

That's almost all countries. Lack of understanding and empathy in the human race
is what is the really shameful thing, not suicide.

That's not an empathy related thing though...I fear it's almost a "lack of crying"

That's almost all countries. Lack of understanding and empathy in the human race
is what is the really shameful thing, not suicide.

I don't think it's an empathy thing...more like ignorance which is not common in many countries i.e. nordic ones

 

[Delia]

it's a religious thing that subsisted throughout the ages. Nothing more nothing less.

 

[woxihuanni]

It is not only the dying part that is taboo. It is also the faux pa you commit, to say the least, when you make it clear to someone you'd rather die than have their life.

 

[Futile]

Taxes and because most people want to live in a perfect world where nothing bad happens.

Also I guess most normies have others who care for them and who will actively try to avoid their death

 

[muffin222]

I think it's largely due to societal programming, religion, and the fact that 99% of people view life as a "gift" and are death-averse, so the thought of someone actively choosing to die by their own hand is unfathomable. It doesn't compute, so people assume that the suicidal person had something seriously wrong with them mentally that led them to make that choice.

 

[Breadbfra]

Interesting answers. Thanks!

 

[Ghost2211]

Society can't control the dead. If people could just stop dealing with all the bs at will society wouldn't have control. Talking to police and a crisis team didn't feel like I was being helped and cared about it felt like I needed to protect myself from going to jail. Like being sad was a crime and I needed to prove my innocence.

 

[Isadeth]

I would like to add to these wonderful posts before me that have provided great answers that a lot of people that "condemn" it have in fact contemplated suicide themselves. My therapist once told me that it's more uncommon to not think about it at least once. And therefore people almost rebel against the idea of someone actually going through with it because either they couldn't themselves and are jealous, they never told anyone and pretend it never happened, or they feel "well I'm suffering but continuing, they should've too... they took the easy way out."

Obviously these aren't the only reasons, but I feel they're fairly accurate.

 

[_Kaira_]

I especially dislike when I'm told I'm a coward for wanting to take my own life. Is that supposed to make me feel better? To make me decide I shouldn't CTB? Whatever the case it usually makes me just feel worse. Add "coward" to the endless list of what's wrong with me lol.

I also find it funny that people not only expect me not to have these feelings, but also want me to continue to do things that add to the reasons of why I feel how I feel. Exhausted? It's apparently because I don't do enough. Empty? Because I have no path or career I'm going for. I'm just so tired of people trying to tell me why I feel the way I do...it's so annoying and more upsetting than if I was just left alone.

 

[Sprite_Geist]

In material items, rejecting a gift is seen as rude and not done, to not like what you have been handed is seen wrong on every level, whether you like it or not, you have to smile and accept it,
This is life, people simply cannot understand not wanting to live, some think that life is a gift that should be lived and enjoyed, and to not want this is rejecting said gift, and taking your own life is doing exactly that, slapping people in the face and saying this gift sucks you messed up I am out,
People don't like that, nope, not acceptable to many out there

You have put it well.

It should not be considered rude to reject a gift in some circumstances. Yes most gifts are given for kind reasons, but not all of them are given with good intentions - some are used by abusers to try and silence their victim(s), and some are used to evoke guilt and control the recipient; life is one of those controlling gifts. It is already broken before you remove the wrapping, and unlike an actual present you cannot exchange it or get a refund.

 

[Lilacmoon]

... to keep us alive as slaves to big pharma and wage slavery? to keep us alive as examples that "we're not that bad, at least we're not as broken as suicidal people".
idk im dumb.

 

[woxihuanni]

Society can't control the dead. If people could just stop dealing with all the bs at will society wouldn't have control. Talking to police and a crisis team didn't feel like I was being helped and cared about it felt like I needed to protect myself from going to jail. Like being sad was a crime and I needed to prove my innocence.

It is not possible to make a stand for yourself in a society which sees abusing people as 'jerk but what can you do' and the normal reactions to abuse as 'you are no longer valid human'.

 

[marata]

Because our society has serious issues with the idea of bodily autonomy

 

[Samsara]

Because humans are programmed to survive no matter what, so, the NPCs of this world (basic/normal people), just can't comprehend how on earth a human would feel like killing himself/herself.

Hah, your "NPCs of the world" made me chuckle

 

[Time to fly]

Because of the stupid religious view of unforgivable sin and you will spend eternity in hell for it...ask the God squad to show you where it says it's unforgivable...they can't it doesn't say it anywhere... but they think they know better...yes I studied religions and told many God squad to go read the Bible as at least 7 instances of there people taking own life...hmmmm

 

[Gnip]

Because suicide means we are and have taken command of our fates. Our impotent and frigid government officials would feel much more sexually adequate if they were able to sent us into war to die at their whims before reaching maturity often before reaching our 20's, and in some Muslim shitholes before reaching our teens.

Suicide means taking ultimate command and ownership of our individual lives and deaths, stripping our would be owners of any control over us, and thus eradicating their piss poor sexually inadequate self images.

 

[AutoTap]

Pretty much every country and everywhere has suicide as taboo because of religion and the "value of life" and etc

 

[Death22]

Suicide is stigmatised because of FEAR.
Fear is one of the strongest human emotions, it's pretty unmatched.
For an example in world war 2, when a soldier dug himself a fox hole with his bare hands ( it was forbidden to show fear in war, because it spreads like the plague ) , the soldier was taken away from the group.

Fear is BAD for society and it's survival.

Suicide causes a ripple effect of fear in society. The wave can be devastating to society as a whole and especially it's production.
Less production equals less money.

 

[lugerepair]

People often think that shaming people is a good way of discouraging them from doing something, including killing themselves. And the reason why people don't want other people to kill themselves is probably because humans are social creatures that have evolved to stick together through hardships and if someone purposefully kills themselves, the rest of the "tribe" sees that as a betrayal of some sort.

 

[SorrySandy]

I'd like to add the term 'moral outrage' into this mix. Wider public view whipped up into frenzy from both government and media.

It's not socially acceptable to even talk about it in terms of autonomy, let alone go through with it.

Much work to be done in most societies and cultures over this issue in ever changing the central narrative that surrounds this form of death and challenging the overriding model (apart from dignitas etc) of suicide prevention being the only acceptable forum in which to be (un)able to discuss this openly. Ethics, morals, values (all culturally unique to differing societies) - can come into play and, depending where you are, promote autonomy but I've rarely seen autonomy applied to suicide.

Dignitas - what a great name for the dignified exit that place affords, if you can afford it...

 

[Raminiki]

Family tend to regard the threat of suicide as an insult and put first their concerns about how it will affect *them*. Their concerns for the suicidal party come secondary. Sometimes the offer is there to speak to family members and rely on their help, but in my experience they're reluctant to do anything that requires the sacrifice of their quality of life to help blood kin in struggle and suffering. There's also the aspect of shame and ridicule - I'm related to/raised/grew up with an aberration/failure. Don't let that taint my self-image/reputation. I want nothing to do with that. Sweep it under the rug or blame the individual for their illness, not society and especially not the family. With partners there's the sunk cost fallacy - I've invested in this relationship so I won't let go and won't let you go.