Is suicide a legitimate solution?

I am flattered.



As for the rearrangements of "really don't" into "don't really," and "I then" into "Then I," they have two different reasons.

"Really don't," and "don't really" are both correct grammatically, however, they have two different meanings. He includes the text, "as far as I cal tell," indicating that he is unsure; there is an uncertainty in the air of what he's saying. "Don't really" fits the tone of these situations considerably better than "really don't." This is because "really don't" has an authority to it, and it doesn't convey any uncertainty, but rather, it conveys that there is no uncertainty whatsoever.

As for changing "I then" into "then I," it's a bit more complicated, and a bit harder to explain why I made the change. Essentially, it makes for a cleaner transition between events, and it also makes a simpler outline of what those events were.

Beginning a sentence in the context of the previous with a coordinating conjunction is one thing. Abruptly starting a new paragraph with a coordinating conjunction is another thing.

@Stenta,

So "don't really" is essentially a semantic issue here. OK. I agree that the placement is better on re-inspection; however, I will note that you did erase "as far as I can tell", but that is a minor, if not infinitesimal, gripe.

"Then", yeah, that's fine. Not something that I would change, but I understand.

As for the conjunction issue, I can recall that I've done it in the past. "But" comes to mind particularly. Perhaps, an emendation should be done to the quote...

I forgot to mention that I missed something and consulted your editing. It was the missing "and" that connected two relative(adjective) or nominal clauses.

There was one change that you made that I think that you might be wrong about (not to incite any discontent, mind you). If you'll indulge me, I'd like to discuss:


Your change was editing "admit" into the present perfect. I took this as a statement of fact or, at least, a future possibility. If a future possibility, this becomes:

For 1), I didn't actually erase it! I moved that bit of modifying text to the outside of the independent clause to make the passage more readable.
A side note: by having it on the outside, it more clearly modifies both clauses, which are "I don't see other mistakes," and "they are not there."

In regards to 2), you'll have to show me through a PM or something. (I'm a bit confused as to what you're referring to)

As for 3), the perfect present tense can be used for actions that have happened in ambiguous times in the past. He states that "[he] admitted there could be things ..." So from my understanding, when he made his statement about admitting his ignorance, it was referring to this supposed admission.

I couldn't think of it referring to anything else, since he will argue until his death that he does not make mistakes, unless you expose them with big red ink, at which point he simply stops talking.

@Stenta,

1) Oh, it was crossed out, so I assumed. I don't really agree with changing it, but that's a nonissue.



I connected the two sentences with thus, and it appears to be a mistake in doing that.

2) The change that I mentioned is in red.

3) Now, the reason why I thought that it shouldn't be in the present perfect is that he already admitted to something so it would be pointless to repeat that. Honestly, elucidation of what he meant rests on him, and I doubt we'll get an answer if your description of him is correct.

Sorry for taking so long to respond.

If I may barge in ....

Personally suicide should never be an option and also excluding the thought of it to be a solution of any sort, but at the same time I can fully understand the confusion, sadness and pain that people have to carry that makes it unbearable to live on any longer. We cannot defy the fact that there are hundreds or thousands of suicides on a regular basis ( Maybe even more if it involved suicides that the public never even knows about ). Suicide has existed for many, many, MANY years, and it is sad that many see it as a solution.

Now here is my answer to this topics big question, NO!!! It's not a solution, no matter how grim a situation befalls upon a person, that does not justify the reason to take ones own life without giving effort seeing the light of day. Sure many never met a person who changed their life and decide suicide is bad, and that many has not refined their psychological skill of moving forward and hoping it will get better. One thing humans forget is we have this sort of emotion in us desiring for a better life, however not everyone learns of this emotion very clearly and thus confuse it by assuming it is just wishful thinking, when in fact it serves as a sort of instinct alarm telling us to remove ourselves from this situation, but not from this life.

That is why one should venture a little further in life before one can have the littlest thought of even considering suicide as an option. We are all young, and we haven't seen the world yet, so why stop halfway there and end it all?

I think the hesitation is also partly because nobody has ever come back with solid, conclusive evidence on what happens after you die, or at least your physical body anyway. It's a myriad of doubts on whether there's an "afterlife", a "heaven", "hell" or "purgatory", reincarnation, continued existence as an ethereal being that wanders the earth or something, etc. We just do not know for sure, and we instinctively fear that which we cannot understand or do not know. The fact that we may never know only intensifies that fear. That's just my take on it, anyway.

That may be it for some people, but even the most hardline and pompous atheists, who have no doubt whatsoever that there is no afterlife, can still draw back from nearly taking their own lives at the minute.

Personally, I feel that for many people, the basic animalistic instinct of survival and fear of pain is what keeps them back. We would not have become the dominant species on the planet if we had evolved with a desire for life weak enough to allow most of us to commit suicide.

Thus, I would feel that while it is a cowardly option in terms of emotions, it takes an awful amount of physical courage to actually do the act (I don't think I would be able to even if I wanted to).

No it's not. It never is.

But for anyone contemplating it I suggest getting a really substantial life insurance policy then making sure it looks like an accident so at least some good will come from it, for your loved ones at least, though they'd probably still rather have you instead.

I think all organisms by instinct want to live on and survive. There is a difference between a simple thought process of saying "I want to live" or "I want to die" and an instinct. A mental state is a characteristic that differs from person to person. Some are happier than others, and some are more sad than others. On the other hand, an instinct is something that all humans share. Arguably at a different amount, but ultimately we all have natural instincts such as the will to survive and pass on our genes.

It's an interesting topic for me because of fairly recent events in the life of an older freind of mine.

A friend of hers in her mid 60's recently committed suicide, it was abrupt after a new doctor of hers told her her pain was in her head and she could get over it, she killed herself before talking to anyone.

She had several fused vertibre causing her cronic pain, and it had been confirmed in the past, the doctor was clearly wrong. She had no family, her husband had died of cancer a decade ago and her first husband had died long before that and she was estranged from her daughter. Finally her sight was fading and she was facing blindness in the near future.

She had a really, really bleak situation. She had freinds and they had stopped her before several times.

It's hard for me to say that her solution was illegitimate though, given her situation there really was very little hope of improvement, and a lot of chance of things getting worse.

I don't know. I don't like it but I have a hard time condemning what she did...

OTOH I know of a father of a fair sized family that did it recently, no mater how bad his life was he had every obligation to go on to take care of his family. And while I know a lot of teens have really, really bad situations I'd say it's never an option there because they have many, many chances and years to change the circumstances of their life.





I think this is really well said, and it is an interesting line you drew there.

Thank you. I like it because my train of thought started out as a half-serious idea to find a compromise between those who think people who commit suicide are brave and those who think they are cowardly.



I get annoyed at the portrayal of teen suicide in the media. They pretty much always put it down to cyber-bullying. Sure, cyber-bullying sucks, but to actually commit suicide over it would be a huge overreaction, unless there were a lot of other problems with their life. It may be that the bullying pushed them over the edge, but it's unlikely to be the main cause.

Also I think committing suicide as a teen is (generally) one of the worst things you could do. At that age you're likely still being looked after by your parents, and you taking your own life is going to affect them massively. If you read the Idol Decay series, it shows quite well the effect on a parent of their child committing suicide (although I warn you, it's pretty graphic).

Of course, this is probably something you should judge on a case-by-case basis. For instance, if someone was clinically suicidal, they're not entirely to blame. Other than that, I've only ever seen one situation where I thought suicide was a legitimate solution for a teen, and that was in a hentai series I never ever want to read again.

If it's in the media, it's grotesquely oversimplified and at least half falsified IMO. I quite agree that there are going to be underlying problems.

I agree with what you've said, but have nothing further to add. Good posts.

its as good as any other kind of death

For the person committing suicide, maybe, but not for everyone else.

If the person you're looking after dies in an accident, it'll probably affect you less than if they commit suicide, because in that situation, they're more likely to feel as though it was their fault for not realizing how they felt/ making them happy etc. (obviously this is a massive generalization, psychology cannot come close to predicting all individual behavior).

I've been through depression and the like, and I can honestly say that suicide's not really the best answer. With modern technology there are plenty of medications so that there's something for everyone, then with counseling added on that would help to pretty much fix a life that has stopped. I'm speaking from personal experience here, but another good solution is to just try to find friends online in forums or MMOs. Online friends can save lives (again, from personal experiences). I would have killed myself possibly multiple times by now had it not been for connections online.

To be honest, I have no problem with suicide; while it may not be an advisable course of action, is extreme, may hurt others, and all that other mushy/gushy nonsense, its an ultimate act of freedom.
I'm not saying whether it's good or bad, or when would be an acceptable time to exercise it, but dammit, you should at least have the right/ability to do what you want with your own life, even end it.

The thing with suicide that pisses me off is the attention-whoring that is associated with the act. People who superficially cut themselves, talk about suicide to cause others to worry, etc.. I've always been of the opinion where people should fucking do it if they're going to, otherwise stfu and move on already.
Yes, I honestly am a cruel bastard when it comes to the topic. Why? Because fuck trying to spread your grief and issues onto other folks. Ask for help, not to bring others down with you.

Anywho, back on topic. the only problem I have with suicide these days is the pain-in-the-ass mess, the cleanup, and how it can scar and affect others. Nobody needs to see brain splattered on the ground from a jump. Seeing a friend or loved one hanging from a noose can be a terrible experience. And the old/decayed bodies, well, I won't go there...

Come up with a more efficient/clean way to suicide and I'd be all for letting people do it. Remember those "suicide booths" in Futurama? They may not be feasible - the whole process would require more regulation - but the concept I like. Say, for example, a system where people apply for their own death, have a waiting period during which they can calm their tits, reflect, change their mind, etc., and at the end, they get to return and be snuffed out and cremated.

So yeah, I'm not against suicide. For society's sake, however, perhaps there is a better way to go about it. From a broad perspective, seems unethical to say, "You are not allowed to die."

Edit: I also realize that there's NO WAY that my view on suicide would be taken in by society today. Saying, "Oh well, let them kill themselves if they want to." is like having someone tell you that their mother has cancer and you respond with, "Ah, too bad." and walk away. People, society, the media... there's soo much bloody hype over such topics and everyone wants you to have a bleedin' heart about everything. We're not an immortal species; people have accidents, get sick, grow old, etc.. People are too sensitive to the fact that, yeah, people die... or in some cases, want to.

my guess as to why people pull back is because of a basic survival instinct even if their consious thoughts are suicidal, so biology sucks :(

If 1 person thinks if it's OK to commit suicide,then I wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft. pole.

If you are willing to hurt all those people close to you, then do it. Be a selfish prick. But know that you will leave behind the worst emotional damage you can give a person.