Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

[leclerc]

Todd Bridges has been quoted as saying that the death of Robin Williams was a selfish act(he did later retract that).

The question I ask is whether you think that killing yourself is the act of someone who is selfish and self centred?


Discussion....

[des8]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

I would suggest the question is too wide.
You need to ask of each suicide "is this the action of a selfish self centred person"
There are obvious examples where suicide has been committed for the sake of others eg Titus Oates, and others where the suicide did not wish to be a burden to others.
If a person is suffering from depression or other mental condition would it be right to label them selfish if they took their own life?

I would suggest that Bridges supposition says more about him than Robin Williams.

[Guest]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

If someone is suffering to the extent that death would be a relief, and taking their life affects no one else then it is a decision for them to make, and is neither heroic or cowardly, just very sad.

[Wombats]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

It's impossible to answer your question, and almost impossible even to discuss it. The causes of suicide are many and varied ranging from kamikaze pilots and suicide bombers, suicide due to culture (as opposed to religion), accidental suicide as a cry for help for a myriad of problems, suicide due to severe mental impairments including, but not exclusively depression, suicide in Switzerland's Dignitas for people who cannot face living with a particular condition any longer etc.... etc..... etc.......

It is hard to discuss such a wide issue.

[Guest]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

I see what you mean Wombats but I think it is possible ot discuss, just not possible to reach any conclusion.

I remember for instance an English teacher I had in high school telling me of a friend of his who was in the air force in WW2, he had seen some terrible things and had been discharged , no such thing as post traumatic stress treatment then of course, some got treated for shell shock but not many, most were just told to get on with it.
He managed to keep hold of his service revolver and when the terrors got to much for him decided to use it.
He shot himself in the head, when the first shot did not do it he repeated the exercise, it took five bullets to finally do the job, it would be hard to call such a man a coward.

[Wombats]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

That wasn't the question posed though Andy. The question was not about cowardice, it was about selfishness. The two are different discussions.

I agree though that anything can be discussed - it has to be worth discussing though, and something that broad isn't worth it in my opinion. Others may, of course, discuss away. :beagle:

[Guest]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

Not so sure there is such a simple distinction, isn't taking the selfish course intrinsically cowardly, particularly in this context.

[Guest]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

I also think that it is important to discuss these things.

[Wombats]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

Not so sure there is such a simple distinction, isn't taking the selfish course intrinsically cowardly, particularly in this context.

No.

[Wombats]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

I also think that it is important to discuss these things.

I agree, it can be life saving to discuss these things and I have posted as much elsewhere today at length, but I think there's a right place and a right time. For me at least, this isn't it. That is not to say the discussion shouldn't take place, just I won't be part of it here. I do my bit and more elsewhere though, I assure you! :tinysmile_twink_t2:

[Guest]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

I agree, it can be life saving to discuss these things and I have posted as much elsewhere today at length, but I think there's a right place and a right time. For me at least, this isn't it. That is not to say the discussion shouldn't take place, just I won't be part of it here. I do my bit and more elsewhere though, I assure you! :tinysmile_twink_t2:

You do not have to assure me Wombats I know how much you contribute.

If this discussion is going to be limited to whether suicide is selfish, then it is going to be a very snort one, because if you take the literal meaning of the word the answer is yes, the act is done by ones self for the benefit of ones self.

The interesting thing to me anyway, is at what point do people loose the courage to continue.
I suspect the factors are, the effects/ severity of the physiological condition or circumstance which prompts the act, consideration of the after effects on those around the person and the support network available before the event.

Ther middle one is interesting to me, i know personally of people who have held on to life despite extreme pain, when it would have been much easier to let go, because of family who depend on them, how is this considered ?

[des8]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

[QUOTE=andy58;460965]

If this discussion is going to be limited to whether suicide is selfish, then it is going to be a very snort one, because if you take the literal meaning of the word the answer is yes, the act is done by ones self for the benefit of ones self.

Not necessarily ........ Titus Oates committed suicide by walking out to allow his companions to survive. Not his immediate benefit.

[Guest]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

[QUOTE=des8;460979]

If this discussion is going to be limited to whether suicide is selfish, then it is going to be a very snort one, because if you take the literal meaning of the word the answer is yes, the act is done by ones self for the benefit of ones self.

Not necessarily ........ Titus Oates committed suicide by walking out to allow his companions to survive. Not his immediate benefit.

Do you mean the Scott expedition, ? did they survive, and wasn't that Lawrence Oats.

Anyway in that case we are talking about heroism which goes back to my earlier point.

[PAWS]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

Robin Williams did display classic symptoms of Bipolar(manic depressive disorder). Although this illness can be controlled with drugs it is a clinical illness. His suicide therefore really cannot be compared to those who take their lives as a reaction to circumstance or crisis.
People not suffering from or diagnosed with a clinical mental illness can be considered to suffer a temporary insanity or loss of reason as a result of a particular, or series of events. The reason for committing suicide in this case is to escape from oppression, burden or pain be it mental or physical. Naturally the very act of taking one’s own life (or committing self-murder as many prefer to call it) is seen as irrational but what must be considered is the effect of oppression, burden and pain on ones sanity. It is not a selfish act in my opinion no matter what the circumstances. The factors that have caused the person to even consider such an extreme action are usually considered intolerable. Why these factors have a more profound effect on some more than others is a question that cannot be answered.
We can never underestimate human fragility. Many people now believe that we would all consider suicide if faced with our own insurmountable or unbearable demon. The bravest men have shot themselves on the battlefields rather than suffer a slow painful death or face life with a disability. Apparently invincible captains of industry have crumbled on the loss of a loved one.
How many of us can honestly say that we would rather rot away in a hospital bed than drift off in a morphine induced haze?
Since time began man has tried to accurately analyse the human mind. The truth is our reason and rational are as unique as our DNA and none of us are absolutely sure how we will react when faced with a particular crisis no matter how mentally strong we believe ourselves to be.

[des8]

Re: Is Suicide a Selfish Act?

[QUOTE=andy58;460983]

Do you mean the Scott expedition, ? did they survive, and wasn't that Lawrence Oats.

Anyway in that case we are talking about heroism which goes back to my earlier point.

1)Yes
2)No (they died about 10 miles from their destination)
3)CaptainLawrence Edward Grace "Titus" Oates
And I thought the discussion was about selfishness