3 ms·
> “While pretending to provide MAiD for an irremediable condition, we actually end up taking the lives of non-dying people—who could get better—for all sorts of
by gedy 4y ago
> “While pretending to provide MAiD for an irremediable condition, we actually end up taking the lives of non-dying people—who could get better—for all sorts of other psychosocial suffering,” Gaind told me. “That’s not compassion.”
This is very much my objection! Feels very dystopian.
- IntrepidWorm 4y agoOne of the issues I see with this sort of reasoning is that it fails to contend with the elephant in the room: people are commiting suicide. The major difference here is that it's occuring in a medical setting. To clarify, if a person is suicidal and seeks MAID to end their life, they are electing to undergo a lengthy process to reach their chosen end. This differs drastically from a spur-of-the-moment decision to (for instance) leap from a tall building, in that it requires weeks of premeditiation and must still withstand a medical consultation. Many people who enact suicide and survive later express regret, and characterize it for varying reasons as a split moment decision, or even a sudden compulsion, rather than a long resolution. (I can find the study if anyone is interested). If somebody truly wishes to die, they will find a way to die. We can (and should) certainly discuss providing people with better mental health services, and improving the quality of the lives of people who are dealing all manner of illnesses, but that won't change the fact that a certain percentage of people will choose obliteration rather than a continuation of their suffering.
- cwillu 4y agoThere are very real reasons why many who would vehemently disagree with that objection would be disinclined to voice that disagreement publically.