6 ms·

I feel like more people should consider euthanasia. If caring for you is a huge physical and financial burden, and you're basically waiting to die anyway, why n

by kylec 7y ago

I feel like more people should consider euthanasia. If caring for you is a huge physical and financial burden, and you're basically waiting to die anyway, why not just get it over with?

warent 7y ago
Assisted suicide is illegal throughout most of the USA so it's not even an option. Also, many people just aren't in a rush to die. Whatever your beliefs, one thing for certain is that it's a permanent and irreversible transition of some kind. It's unsettling, at least on primal levels.
- Polylactic_acid 7y ago
  Artificially keeping someone alive as a suffering vegetable is also unsettling.
  - denkmoon 7y ago
    Agreed. Life is only worth living if I am "me". A mere collection of cells undergoing biological processes is not "me", and the idea of being trapped inside a broken body is genuine nightmare material.
  - mam2 7y ago
    yes but the line is not assisted suicide or not. it's "unnecessary care or not", at least in france. I don't know how it is in the us considering the cost such care would entail..
vageli 7y ago
> I feel like more people should consider euthanasia. If caring for you is a huge physical and financial burden, and you're basically waiting to die anyway, why not just get it over with? Most of the elderly (about 6 people) with whom I've spoken are disgusted at even mentioning something like this (70-85 year old men and women from western Europe). This sentiment may change as new cohorts age out.
DoreenMichele 7y ago
I'm pro right to die, but it's complicated. If we start killing people "because you are a burden to your family," that's a rather ugly slippery slope that flies in the face of most moral and legal precedents that say "Love and legal obligation mean staying to the bitter end and never faltering in your duty." Most people with something terribly wrong are holding out hope for some new breakthrough -- some new drug or therapeutic treatment -- that will finally fix them. A lot of people can't quite commit to euthanasia because "what if they find a cure a week later?" I think I should have the right to say "Nope. I'm done with this crap." I don't think other people should have the right to decide "Well, if you conveniently die now, we can still afford that vacation....um, I mean, we hate seeing you suffer! That's what I mean!"
- gHosts 7y ago
  I don't think there is a euthanasia bill passed or even on the table in the entire planet where "we start killing people because you" is acceptable. That's just plain FUD. They are all, "The patient, being of sound mind, jumps through a large bunch of legal hurdles to be permitted to exit peacefully and painlessly." > "Most people with something terribly wrong are holding out hope" We're talking about people inches from death here. If they had hope they would be in hospital. They no longer have hope, only pain. > A lot of people can't quite commit to euthanasia because "what if they find a cure a week later?" A lot of people want euthanasia as a barrier against fear... "There have been some terrible days, and I'm certain I'm dying, and as I die, it will get worse. If it gets intolerable, I can opt out... it's not intolerable today, so I can hold on another day."
  - DoreenMichele 7y ago
    No, it's not FUD. It's called conversation. I was engaging the point made that "if you are just a burden to your family..." There doesn't need to be legislation in the works somewhere on planet Earth for it to be a valid point to say "Yeah, that's a super bad reason to agree someone should die and here's why." I stated up front I'm pro right to die. I have a Dread Disease myself. I'm abundantly familiar with the other side of the equation of "I want to check out now, thanks. I've had enough." I did touch on that aspect in my comment. My Dread Disease is why I think I should have the right to decide "No, seriously, I've had enough. I want out and this is the only way out of this torturous prison called my defective body."
yumraj 7y ago
I'm absolutely pro euthanasia. When I'm old I would definitely not want to be a burden on someone, nor would I want to live like a disabled. I feel there is no dignity in it. However, I'm seriously worried that this opinion might change once I'm at that point.
- logic101010 7y ago
  > I'm absolutely pro euthanasia. > However, I'm seriously worried that this opinion might change once I'm at that point. There's always the option to go for it right now while you're still absolutely pro. But if that doesn't appeal to you, then ask yourself, are you really sure you're in favor?
sam36 7y ago
Goodness... why pay $0.10 for a bullet when you can pay some one else $2k to be more "humane"? Oh and vote Bernie, cuz down with capitalism!
- HenryBemis 7y ago
  I am always amazed to see trolls in this forum. I see that you created the account in 2015.. that is a looooong time and only 34 karma? You must be a level 50 Troll by now. On an extreme example: Being 5 years old, having cancer, being in intolerable pain, and having no certainty that this torment will end sooner rather than later is a topic well worth discussing. Another aspect is the impact to the loved ones. No father wants to see their child die. No father wants to pull the plug on their child. But no father wants to see their child screaming in pain for months and months and months. Please put aside the cost of the bullet, US elections, politics and process this instead. And if you can, please rejoin the dialogue using your love, not your hate.
chx 7y ago
I am. I have decided years ago and I do not see this changing significantly that once my mortgage is paid down -- which is approximately in eight years -- I just want to die, I will be 53 by then. By then the so called "bucket list" will be empty. I am living alone and this I can't see changing any time soon. Do not think I am suicidal or depressed -- I have three international trips booked for this year already and so on. I am just utterly practical. Nothing frightens me more than living with a slowly fading mind in a much more rapidly failing body. Canada where I live has allowed medical assistance in dying since 2016 doesn't allow for this. I do not expect to be terminally ill and so I can't just decide, not even if I make a declaration ten years beforehands, that I want to end it in dignity and without pain. You can't. You can extend it far beyond where life is enjoyable, it is indeed the default expectation to do so but ending it, that's not allowed.
- riku_iki 7y ago
  53 looks young enough to be active, enjoy life and add value to society if you take care of your health.
  - DoreenMichele 7y ago
    It depends on the condition in question. Some conditions have a life expectancy lower than age 53 and someone that age is deemed elderly for that subpopulation and can be suffering horribly.
  - chx 7y ago
    > if you take care of your health. Yeah. See, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes not long ago (AFTER I made the decision on when is the show over) and I can fully maintain a non diabetic blood sugar level with just diet and for the time being , I am doing so. It however greatly limits one of the biggest enjoyment in my life, namely food. THAT is the future -- as I age , more and more things I could do I won't be able to. I bought a rolling carry on for the first time today because I recognize running around with a stuffed backpack is not cutting it any more. Already I needed to limit how much I can sightsee on foot. All this. I am SO not interested in walking this path down to the bitter end.
kube-system 7y ago
Is that even a possible option for many people in this situation? The overlap between "unable to care for oneself and a burden on caretaker" and "unable to consent" is probably pretty large.
- Damorian 7y ago
  Right? There are so many means to quick and painless suicide. Everyone talking about a "right to die" demanding government legislation makes no sense to me.
  - kube-system 7y ago
    I'm not sure I agree with that. I'm saying that even if euthanasia was accessible, many of the people the article is talking about wouldn't be able to legally consent to it anyway.

by kylec 7y ago

I feel like more people should consider euthanasia. If caring for you is a huge physical and financial burden, and you're basically waiting to die anyway, why not just get it over with?

warent 7y ago

Assisted suicide is illegal throughout most of the USA so it's not even an option. Also, many people just aren't in a rush to die. Whatever your beliefs, one thing for certain is that it's a permanent and irreversible transition of some kind. It's unsettling, at least on primal levels.

Polylactic_acid 7y ago
Artificially keeping someone alive as a suffering vegetable is also unsettling.
- denkmoon 7y ago
  Agreed. Life is only worth living if I am "me". A mere collection of cells undergoing biological processes is not "me", and the idea of being trapped inside a broken body is genuine nightmare material.
- mam2 7y ago
  yes but the line is not assisted suicide or not. it's "unnecessary care or not", at least in france. I don't know how it is in the us considering the cost such care would entail..

vageli 7y ago

> I feel like more people should consider euthanasia. If caring for you is a huge physical and financial burden, and you're basically waiting to die anyway, why not just get it over with? Most of the elderly (about 6 people) with whom I've spoken are disgusted at even mentioning something like this (70-85 year old men and women from western Europe). This sentiment may change as new cohorts age out.

DoreenMichele 7y ago

I'm pro right to die, but it's complicated. If we start killing people "because you are a burden to your family," that's a rather ugly slippery slope that flies in the face of most moral and legal precedents that say "Love and legal obligation mean staying to the bitter end and never faltering in your duty." Most people with something terribly wrong are holding out hope for some new breakthrough -- some new drug or therapeutic treatment -- that will finally fix them. A lot of people can't quite commit to euthanasia because "what if they find a cure a week later?" I think I should have the right to say "Nope. I'm done with this crap." I don't think other people should have the right to decide "Well, if you conveniently die now, we can still afford that vacation....um, I mean, we hate seeing you suffer! That's what I mean!"

gHosts 7y ago
I don't think there is a euthanasia bill passed or even on the table in the entire planet where "we start killing people because you" is acceptable. That's just plain FUD. They are all, "The patient, being of sound mind, jumps through a large bunch of legal hurdles to be permitted to exit peacefully and painlessly." > "Most people with something terribly wrong are holding out hope" We're talking about people inches from death here. If they had hope they would be in hospital. They no longer have hope, only pain. > A lot of people can't quite commit to euthanasia because "what if they find a cure a week later?" A lot of people want euthanasia as a barrier against fear... "There have been some terrible days, and I'm certain I'm dying, and as I die, it will get worse. If it gets intolerable, I can opt out... it's not intolerable today, so I can hold on another day."
- DoreenMichele 7y ago
  No, it's not FUD. It's called conversation. I was engaging the point made that "if you are just a burden to your family..." There doesn't need to be legislation in the works somewhere on planet Earth for it to be a valid point to say "Yeah, that's a super bad reason to agree someone should die and here's why." I stated up front I'm pro right to die. I have a Dread Disease myself. I'm abundantly familiar with the other side of the equation of "I want to check out now, thanks. I've had enough." I did touch on that aspect in my comment. My Dread Disease is why I think I should have the right to decide "No, seriously, I've had enough. I want out and this is the only way out of this torturous prison called my defective body."

yumraj 7y ago

I'm absolutely pro euthanasia. When I'm old I would definitely not want to be a burden on someone, nor would I want to live like a disabled. I feel there is no dignity in it. However, I'm seriously worried that this opinion might change once I'm at that point.

logic101010 7y ago
> I'm absolutely pro euthanasia. > However, I'm seriously worried that this opinion might change once I'm at that point. There's always the option to go for it right now while you're still absolutely pro. But if that doesn't appeal to you, then ask yourself, are you really sure you're in favor?

sam36 7y ago

Goodness... why pay $0.10 for a bullet when you can pay some one else $2k to be more "humane"? Oh and vote Bernie, cuz down with capitalism!

HenryBemis 7y ago
I am always amazed to see trolls in this forum. I see that you created the account in 2015.. that is a looooong time and only 34 karma? You must be a level 50 Troll by now. On an extreme example: Being 5 years old, having cancer, being in intolerable pain, and having no certainty that this torment will end sooner rather than later is a topic well worth discussing. Another aspect is the impact to the loved ones. No father wants to see their child die. No father wants to pull the plug on their child. But no father wants to see their child screaming in pain for months and months and months. Please put aside the cost of the bullet, US elections, politics and process this instead. And if you can, please rejoin the dialogue using your love, not your hate.

chx 7y ago

I am. I have decided years ago and I do not see this changing significantly that once my mortgage is paid down -- which is approximately in eight years -- I just want to die, I will be 53 by then. By then the so called "bucket list" will be empty. I am living alone and this I can't see changing any time soon. Do not think I am suicidal or depressed -- I have three international trips booked for this year already and so on. I am just utterly practical. Nothing frightens me more than living with a slowly fading mind in a much more rapidly failing body. Canada where I live has allowed medical assistance in dying since 2016 doesn't allow for this. I do not expect to be terminally ill and so I can't just decide, not even if I make a declaration ten years beforehands, that I want to end it in dignity and without pain. You can't. You can extend it far beyond where life is enjoyable, it is indeed the default expectation to do so but ending it, that's not allowed.

riku_iki 7y ago
53 looks young enough to be active, enjoy life and add value to society if you take care of your health.
- DoreenMichele 7y ago
  It depends on the condition in question. Some conditions have a life expectancy lower than age 53 and someone that age is deemed elderly for that subpopulation and can be suffering horribly.
- chx 7y ago
  > if you take care of your health. Yeah. See, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes not long ago (AFTER I made the decision on when is the show over) and I can fully maintain a non diabetic blood sugar level with just diet and for the time being , I am doing so. It however greatly limits one of the biggest enjoyment in my life, namely food. THAT is the future -- as I age , more and more things I could do I won't be able to. I bought a rolling carry on for the first time today because I recognize running around with a stuffed backpack is not cutting it any more. Already I needed to limit how much I can sightsee on foot. All this. I am SO not interested in walking this path down to the bitter end.

kube-system 7y ago

Is that even a possible option for many people in this situation? The overlap between "unable to care for oneself and a burden on caretaker" and "unable to consent" is probably pretty large.

Damorian 7y ago
Right? There are so many means to quick and painless suicide. Everyone talking about a "right to die" demanding government legislation makes no sense to me.
- kube-system 7y ago
  I'm not sure I agree with that. I'm saying that even if euthanasia was accessible, many of the people the article is talking about wouldn't be able to legally consent to it anyway.