4 ms·

This has happened several times here in Belgium as well, including for a victim of sexual assault. Apart from fries and chocolate this is what we're best at ..

by stef25 2y ago

This has happened several times here in Belgium as well, including for a victim of sexual assault. Apart from fries and chocolate this is what we're best at ... granting approval for euthanasia :/ EDIT I'm not at all against euthanasia, it's just a bit macabre that this is what Belgium excels at

AnonHP 2y ago
I didn’t understand why you put a sad face/frowny at the end of your last sentence. IMO, granting the freedom for people to choose to die (with checks and balances) is a good thing. I’m sure there will always be debates on whether the approval for one person was correct or wrong. The discomfort that most people have about other people dying cannot be easily alleviated.
- Am4TIfIsER0ppos 2y ago
  Believe it or not suicide is legal.
  - gabeio 2y ago
    > Believe it or not suicide is legal. Is it thought? If you don't succeed you basically are incarcerated by way of mental institutions (at least in the USA). Obviously they can't hold your un-alived body "accountable" but it sometimes does feel like suicide is illegal.
  - whatevaa 2y ago
    Depends on jurisdiction probably. Though if you succeeded, there isn't anyone to punish, cause you are... dead.
- stef25 2y ago
  I don't disagree with you, it's good that we have these laws it's just a bit macabre
whalesalad 2y ago
We put way too much value on human life. If someone isn't interested in existing anymore that should be completely acceptible.
- throwaway11460 2y ago
  There are people who argue that anyone who wants to die is not mentally well enough to decide to die. Can't say I totally disagree...
  - mewpmewp2 2y ago
    What if they are in constant mental pain and anguish, but otherwise a sane person?
    - throwaway11460 2y ago
      If that's really true, then perhaps. But those people would probably argue that these two conditions are mutually exclusive. Again, can't say I totally disagree. If only there was another way... We can't fix it now, but if we could put that person in suspended animation or some other kind of stasis, we might revive them once treatment was available... This all is really sad and I don't wish anyone to suffer. But I also don't want people to die because they thought their situation is hopeless and it might turn out it isn't...
    - whalesalad 2y ago
      none of that should even matter. remove morals from the equation. remove religious conditioning. we are all just animals. total freedom and agency would suggest that you should have just as much control over whether you live or die as anything else in your life. no justification required. you want out? ok, cya bud.
      - disiplus 2y ago
        I for one am glad that it's not easy to commit suicide, because my sister tried and failed and after 10 years is finaly better. She has scares on the hands that she's hiding with tattoos. Mental problems can be resolved. Not all of them and not easy but it can work out.
elliottcarlson 2y ago
My grandfather, from Belgium, suffered from mesothelioma - I flew back to see him and attended the conversations and sign offs, secondary sign offs, etc necessary for him to be able to be euthanized. He was already in a lot of pain and his quality of life was very different than the man I knew growing up. I was already back in the States when the waiting period was over, and we had a final video call prior to him being administered the medications that would ease him in to cardiac arrest -- he had deteriorated so much more in that month. Death was unfortunately the only outcome in his scenario, and giving him the ability to pass away while at home surrounded by loved ones, was a choice he had and took. I am very Americanized, having been here in the States for so long now, and it was a bit surreal going through all this, but, I am very happy he had that option. If you look at this[1] 2023 report on euthanasia in Belgium, I don't think the numbers are anywhere near a height that it would be something I would say they "excel" at. [1] https://wfrtds.org/belgium-2023-report-on-euthanasia/ https://wfrtds.org/belgium-2023-report-on-euthanasia/

by stef25 2y ago

AnonHP 2y ago

I didn’t understand why you put a sad face/frowny at the end of your last sentence. IMO, granting the freedom for people to choose to die (with checks and balances) is a good thing. I’m sure there will always be debates on whether the approval for one person was correct or wrong. The discomfort that most people have about other people dying cannot be easily alleviated.

Am4TIfIsER0ppos 2y ago
Believe it or not suicide is legal.
- gabeio 2y ago
  > Believe it or not suicide is legal. Is it thought? If you don't succeed you basically are incarcerated by way of mental institutions (at least in the USA). Obviously they can't hold your un-alived body "accountable" but it sometimes does feel like suicide is illegal.
- whatevaa 2y ago
  Depends on jurisdiction probably. Though if you succeeded, there isn't anyone to punish, cause you are... dead.
stef25 2y ago
I don't disagree with you, it's good that we have these laws it's just a bit macabre

whalesalad 2y ago

We put way too much value on human life. If someone isn't interested in existing anymore that should be completely acceptible.

throwaway11460 2y ago
There are people who argue that anyone who wants to die is not mentally well enough to decide to die. Can't say I totally disagree...
- mewpmewp2 2y ago
  What if they are in constant mental pain and anguish, but otherwise a sane person?
  - throwaway11460 2y ago
    If that's really true, then perhaps. But those people would probably argue that these two conditions are mutually exclusive. Again, can't say I totally disagree. If only there was another way... We can't fix it now, but if we could put that person in suspended animation or some other kind of stasis, we might revive them once treatment was available... This all is really sad and I don't wish anyone to suffer. But I also don't want people to die because they thought their situation is hopeless and it might turn out it isn't...
  - whalesalad 2y ago
    none of that should even matter. remove morals from the equation. remove religious conditioning. we are all just animals. total freedom and agency would suggest that you should have just as much control over whether you live or die as anything else in your life. no justification required. you want out? ok, cya bud.
    - disiplus 2y ago
      I for one am glad that it's not easy to commit suicide, because my sister tried and failed and after 10 years is finaly better. She has scares on the hands that she's hiding with tattoos. Mental problems can be resolved. Not all of them and not easy but it can work out.

elliottcarlson 2y ago

My grandfather, from Belgium, suffered from mesothelioma - I flew back to see him and attended the conversations and sign offs, secondary sign offs, etc necessary for him to be able to be euthanized. He was already in a lot of pain and his quality of life was very different than the man I knew growing up. I was already back in the States when the waiting period was over, and we had a final video call prior to him being administered the medications that would ease him in to cardiac arrest -- he had deteriorated so much more in that month. Death was unfortunately the only outcome in his scenario, and giving him the ability to pass away while at home surrounded by loved ones, was a choice he had and took. I am very Americanized, having been here in the States for so long now, and it was a bit surreal going through all this, but, I am very happy he had that option. If you look at this[1] 2023 report on euthanasia in Belgium, I don't think the numbers are anywhere near a height that it would be something I would say they "excel" at. [1] https://wfrtds.org/belgium-2023-report-on-euthanasia/ https://wfrtds.org/belgium-2023-report-on-euthanasia/