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Why is this viewpoint SO unpopular on HN? What, precisely, is wrong with a miserable person wanting to end his or her misery? Why do we lionize personal choice

Why is this viewpoint SO unpopular on HN? What, precisely, is wrong with a miserable person wanting to end his or her misery? Why do we lionize personal choice in virtually every domain, but collectively choose not to respect the wishes of those who hate their lives?

Jtsummers 10y ago
I suppose nothing. But what's wrong with people that care about a person helping them overcome a (usually) temporary situation and moving on to have a better and full life? We certainly shouldn't, as prodmerc seems to be doing, say, "Oh, they want to die. Good for them." and walk away. Personally, I'm glad you and prodmerc weren't my friends 10 years ago.
drumdance 10y ago
The apparatus that thinks suicide is an option (the sufferer's brain) is any many cases not the best apparatus to make that decision. There are some rational reasons for suicide, such as severe chronic pain, but most of the time they are not.
InclinedPlane 10y ago
Suicide is often not a very rational or well considered option, except in regards to medical assisted suicide. Suicide is, as they say, a permanent solution to a temporary problem. But it's a lot more complicated than that. I think the best argument for suicide intervention are the many stories from folks who came the closest to succeeding in their suicide attempts, failed, and then changed their minds and decided against suicide. That speaks to the fact that the reasoning going into a suicide attempt is often not on solid ground, and that there are often a lot of ways to remediate "future decades of misery" that are not ending a life. Speaking personally, I know a lot of people who have had thoughts of committing suicide or have made an unsuccessful attempt at doing so and in every case it was an erroneous decision, in every case their future was full of a lot more than years of misery.
gertef 10y ago
Why don't we install suicide booths in coffee shops? Make it convenient and cheap? Sit down, insert $20 (or wave your smartphone NFC), get a shot of toxic gas and automatic call to morgue to pick up your body? Uber can contract deliveries.

Jtsummers 10y ago

I suppose nothing. But what's wrong with people that care about a person helping them overcome a (usually) temporary situation and moving on to have a better and full life? We certainly shouldn't, as prodmerc seems to be doing, say, "Oh, they want to die. Good for them." and walk away. Personally, I'm glad you and prodmerc weren't my friends 10 years ago.

drumdance 10y ago

The apparatus that thinks suicide is an option (the sufferer's brain) is any many cases not the best apparatus to make that decision. There are some rational reasons for suicide, such as severe chronic pain, but most of the time they are not.

InclinedPlane 10y ago

Suicide is often not a very rational or well considered option, except in regards to medical assisted suicide. Suicide is, as they say, a permanent solution to a temporary problem. But it's a lot more complicated than that. I think the best argument for suicide intervention are the many stories from folks who came the closest to succeeding in their suicide attempts, failed, and then changed their minds and decided against suicide. That speaks to the fact that the reasoning going into a suicide attempt is often not on solid ground, and that there are often a lot of ways to remediate "future decades of misery" that are not ending a life. Speaking personally, I know a lot of people who have had thoughts of committing suicide or have made an unsuccessful attempt at doing so and in every case it was an erroneous decision, in every case their future was full of a lot more than years of misery.

gertef 10y ago

Why don't we install suicide booths in coffee shops? Make it convenient and cheap? Sit down, insert $20 (or wave your smartphone NFC), get a shot of toxic gas and automatic call to morgue to pick up your body? Uber can contract deliveries.