5 ms·

Or just die when you're old? Maybe that sounds harsh, but being bedridden for 12 years doesn't sound like any idea of a good life to me. The old die to make wa

by imgabe 10y ago

Or just die when you're old? Maybe that sounds harsh, but being bedridden for 12 years doesn't sound like any idea of a good life to me. The old die to make way and free up resources for the young. That's the way it's supposed to work.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
astrodust 9y ago
Someone's a fan of Logan's Run. Enjoy your manadatory execution when you're forty you old bastard.
- msabalau 9y ago
  As I recall, the age of execution in the film was thirty, in the original novel it was 21.
  - smnplk 9y ago
    Oh, didn't see your reply. Nice to know about the novel, need to check that out.
- imgabe 9y ago
  False dichotomy. There's a pretty big difference between dying after having a stroke that leaves you permanently disabled in your 70s vs. mandatory execution of healthy 40-year-olds.
  - undersuit 9y ago
    And you're trusting someone else to make that decision.
    - r00fus 9y ago
      We should enable a culture where people are free to make that decision for themselves. California and several other US states allow for this - not sure about internationally. I wouldn't want to live on life support. I'd rather my wife/kids get a nice (well managed) trust fund for the remaining savings and just go in peace early.
  - astrodust 9y ago
    There's a huge gradient between being a vegetable and virtually dead and suffering a minor injury that leaves you permanently crippled but in a way that isn't a big deal. Where along that spectrum will you draw the line? Is that even possible to describe without being needlessly cruel, like someone who lost the use of both hands due to a stroke is killed but someone who lost the use of one hand and one leg gets to live? These sorts of decisions should be left in the hands of those who are most impacted by it: The person in question. I'm a supporter of more dignified end-of-life options, of people being able to opt-out of life-saving treatment if they think it's not worth the fuss or the outcome is undesirable. There's still a huge difference between someone electing to die with dignity because their cancer treatment has a 10% chance of delaying the onset by a few years, but a 100% chance of making their life a living hell for the duration, and someone who's told they're too ill to live and has their life abruptly terminated.
- smnplk 9y ago
  In Logan's Run the mandatory execution was at the age of thirty not forty ;)
emodendroket 9y ago
Remember when this scenario was trotted out as an argument against reforms? Hell, why not establish death squads?
- Spooky23 9y ago
  For people like this, it's always better for the free market to figure out how to deliver bad news to other people. I had a coworker who was a hardcore Ayn Rand type who had a real harsh point of view like this, until his infant was born with a congenital heart defect that resulted in hospitalization for 3-4 months. Frankly, my own experience gave me a similar perspective, although I was more "meh" on the issue. I had a serious back surgery at 25, and spent a lot of time in PT around people whose lives were falling apart due to expenses and lost wages. Meanwhile I had a great employer with generous benefits and leave. The trucker I was around was struggling to live with workers comp and disability coverage. He was selling most of his possessions to keep his house. It was chilling.
basicplus2 9y ago
Let me know how you feel about that when your old
- ACow_Adonis 9y ago
  As a younger person having watched/lived through at least 3 members of my immediate family die with dementia/mental health problems, I lose more sleep at night over the prospect that euthanasia won't be legal and managed properly where I live by the time I get old. I'm actually hoping that our shared generational suffering with respect to our baby boomer parents makes us get our generations' butt in gear and do something about it. Got to use all that unnecessary suffering for something positive :/
  - jackskell 9y ago
    My buddy and I have a pact: if one of us needs a piece in a hospital, the other will furnish one. Yes, seriously.
    - r00fus 9y ago
      How would this be done, exactly? It would be horrible to find out that fulfilling the wishes of your friend (or vice versa) results in murder charges.
- Mouse47 9y ago
  My grandfather had a stroke two weeks ago. It affected 3/4 of the left side of his brain, which means he couldn't speak (except for 'shit', 'god damn', 'yes/no') and couldn't swallow. Or walk, obviously. He told us repeatedly while he was alive that he didn't want to be put in a home. He wanted to cut his grass, feed the birds and be left alone - and after the stroke there was no way he could do that. We respected his wishes and opted out of the feeding tube, but he essentially starved to death. No fluids, no food for two weeks. Those two weeks burnt up all of his savings. Everyone in my family agrees that it'd be better if assisted suicide were legal. No starving, no pain - just a nitrogen mask, and you don't even know you're dying. Frankly, I find your 'older-and-wiser' posturing disgusting. Obviously it should be their choice, but today it's not their choice - the government says they must suffer and starve to death. edit for less meanness

by imgabe 10y ago

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

astrodust 9y ago

Someone's a fan of Logan's Run. Enjoy your manadatory execution when you're forty you old bastard.

msabalau 9y ago
As I recall, the age of execution in the film was thirty, in the original novel it was 21.
- smnplk 9y ago
  Oh, didn't see your reply. Nice to know about the novel, need to check that out.
imgabe 9y ago
False dichotomy. There's a pretty big difference between dying after having a stroke that leaves you permanently disabled in your 70s vs. mandatory execution of healthy 40-year-olds.
- undersuit 9y ago
  And you're trusting someone else to make that decision.
  - r00fus 9y ago
    We should enable a culture where people are free to make that decision for themselves. California and several other US states allow for this - not sure about internationally. I wouldn't want to live on life support. I'd rather my wife/kids get a nice (well managed) trust fund for the remaining savings and just go in peace early.
- astrodust 9y ago
  There's a huge gradient between being a vegetable and virtually dead and suffering a minor injury that leaves you permanently crippled but in a way that isn't a big deal. Where along that spectrum will you draw the line? Is that even possible to describe without being needlessly cruel, like someone who lost the use of both hands due to a stroke is killed but someone who lost the use of one hand and one leg gets to live? These sorts of decisions should be left in the hands of those who are most impacted by it: The person in question. I'm a supporter of more dignified end-of-life options, of people being able to opt-out of life-saving treatment if they think it's not worth the fuss or the outcome is undesirable. There's still a huge difference between someone electing to die with dignity because their cancer treatment has a 10% chance of delaying the onset by a few years, but a 100% chance of making their life a living hell for the duration, and someone who's told they're too ill to live and has their life abruptly terminated.
smnplk 9y ago
In Logan's Run the mandatory execution was at the age of thirty not forty ;)

emodendroket 9y ago

Remember when this scenario was trotted out as an argument against reforms? Hell, why not establish death squads?

Spooky23 9y ago
For people like this, it's always better for the free market to figure out how to deliver bad news to other people. I had a coworker who was a hardcore Ayn Rand type who had a real harsh point of view like this, until his infant was born with a congenital heart defect that resulted in hospitalization for 3-4 months. Frankly, my own experience gave me a similar perspective, although I was more "meh" on the issue. I had a serious back surgery at 25, and spent a lot of time in PT around people whose lives were falling apart due to expenses and lost wages. Meanwhile I had a great employer with generous benefits and leave. The trucker I was around was struggling to live with workers comp and disability coverage. He was selling most of his possessions to keep his house. It was chilling.

basicplus2 9y ago

Let me know how you feel about that when your old

ACow_Adonis 9y ago
As a younger person having watched/lived through at least 3 members of my immediate family die with dementia/mental health problems, I lose more sleep at night over the prospect that euthanasia won't be legal and managed properly where I live by the time I get old. I'm actually hoping that our shared generational suffering with respect to our baby boomer parents makes us get our generations' butt in gear and do something about it. Got to use all that unnecessary suffering for something positive :/
- jackskell 9y ago
  My buddy and I have a pact: if one of us needs a piece in a hospital, the other will furnish one. Yes, seriously.
  - r00fus 9y ago
    How would this be done, exactly? It would be horrible to find out that fulfilling the wishes of your friend (or vice versa) results in murder charges.
Mouse47 9y ago
My grandfather had a stroke two weeks ago. It affected 3/4 of the left side of his brain, which means he couldn't speak (except for 'shit', 'god damn', 'yes/no') and couldn't swallow. Or walk, obviously. He told us repeatedly while he was alive that he didn't want to be put in a home. He wanted to cut his grass, feed the birds and be left alone - and after the stroke there was no way he could do that. We respected his wishes and opted out of the feeding tube, but he essentially starved to death. No fluids, no food for two weeks. Those two weeks burnt up all of his savings. Everyone in my family agrees that it'd be better if assisted suicide were legal. No starving, no pain - just a nitrogen mask, and you don't even know you're dying. Frankly, I find your 'older-and-wiser' posturing disgusting. Obviously it should be their choice, but today it's not their choice - the government says they must suffer and starve to death. edit for less meanness