Suicide Pods Legal in Switzerland

[Ozy_Flame]

People will commit suicide anyway, often with gruesome results and significantly negative impacts on family, friends and community.

At least assisted suicide gives a legitimate option to be in control with proper planning, education, preparation and social support.

Again, we need a healthier relationship with death - and that includes technically suicide. I think the current understanding, stigma, and implications of it have taken on a particular context in the Western world, often with a context of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

I truly believe having the right mechanisms for assisted suicide in place will help reduce hardships across the board on a number of fronts.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

People will commit suicide anyway, often with gruesome results and significantly negative impacts on family, friends and community.

At least assisted suicide gives a legitimate option to be in control with proper planning, education, preparation and social support.

Again, we need a healthier relationship with death - and that includes technically suicide. I think the current understanding, stigma, and implications of it have taken on a particular context in the Western world, often with a context of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

I truly believe having the right mechanisms for assisted suicide in place will help reduce hardships across the board on a number of fronts.

Yeah, and it would even be awesome if you were required to tie up some loose ends before you got in the pod, too. Will up to date? Affairs in order? No? Okay...we'll help you get that sorted out and then take you to your pod. What a hassle that would save those left behind.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Yeah, and it would even be awesome if you were required to tie up some loose ends before you got in the pod, too. Will up to date? Affairs in order? No? Okay...we'll help you get that sorted out and then take you to your pod. What a hassle that would save those left behind.

Absolutely. There are things to take care of before this option is available. A checklist of "shutting the lights off" to be completed.

It would save a lot of trouble and costs down the line.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Furthermore, it will be an indictment of our society as a whole, and the decreasing sense of purpose, belonging, and happiness.

I think this summarizes my feelings well. It's sad that the value of life now in the western world is being distilled solely into whether or not a person is deriving present enjoyment out of the ride that is life and that their lives don't have any other greater purpose or meaning to other individuals or society itself.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I think this summarizes my feelings well. It's sad that the value of life now in the western world is being distilled solely into whether or not a person is deriving present enjoyment out of the ride that is life and that their lives don't have any other greater purpose or meaning to other individuals or society itself.

Well, could it perhaps also in some ways be considered a correction?

In the far past life was nasty, brutish and short and over time we've come to the point where people are living much longer, perhaps in some cases too long.

We've gone from lives that are too short, to some that are too long, and maybe when a person feels that their incremental quality of life has deteriorated to a undesirable point that they're done.

And simply forcing them to hang around unhappy or in pain because their loved ones want them there, perhaps thats selfish on the part of the family members rather than it being selfish on the part of the person who wants to go.

Anecdotally I've had family members who have clung on far longer than they'd have liked. My Grandmother had Alzheimer's that progressed into Dementia and she languished in a Care Facility for almost 20 years just waiting for her body to give up.

You couldnt take her anywhere, do anything with her or even so much as talk with her. The lights were on but nobody was home. She didnt know who she was, she didnt remember anyone, not even herself.

If you've never watched someone exist in a perpetual state of terror I wouldnt recommend it.

Even when Nurses came in to clean her, change her sheets, feed her, administer medication she would react as someone who had never seen this person before in her life despite having seen them a thousand times, often several times that day already.

So I do think that there is a place for this, however I am hesitant about the concept of attempting to eliminate the 'human element.' That seems unwise.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I feel the same way. Ideologically, I believe people should be free to end their life whenever they choose. Economically and socially, I see the aging population and relentlessly rising health care costs as the biggest threat to the sustainability of public services - not only health care itself, but public education and every other program we’ll have to cannibalize to pay for health care.

And yet…

If we remove the professional gating of assisted suicide, and we remove the stigma around suicide, and we make it easier and more comfortable to carry out, I expect we’ll see dramatically higher suicide rates. Some of them will be people who were so miserable that death was a relief. But others will be people suffering from temporary despair.

Furthermore, it will be an indictment of our society as a whole, and the decreasing sense of purpose, belonging, and happiness.

The awareness of ones mortality is something that often inspires bold behavior and brings about a sense of peace in life though. At least I've always found that to be the case.

When you remind yourself its temporary, things in it no longer feel so serious. And taking positive risks feels easier to do, because you've just got one go at this thing.

Its an uncomfortable concept to entertain from the surface. But I think in employing it there would be a swell in the moral and outlook of people. When you feel locked into life it makes things feel more serious, intense, and brings a sense of feeling trapped. The cautionary part would be people using it impulsively, and maybe some regulations could minimize that (like requiring a period of time before use to ensure it is thought through adequately). But like I said in my previous post, merely having the option available would help a lot of people feel like they're not backed up against a wall when things get difficult.

I think there's a negative concept of death in society too, and like it should be avoided or postponed at all costs, when the bare truth is no one gets out alive and it comes for us all. Having the ability to choose the timing would bring peace of mind to a lot of people and actually help them relax onto life a little more I think, and as a result enjoy it more. Just my theory. I'm interested to see how it plays out in Switzerland.

[woob]

If suicide pods become a regular part of society globally and we see a constant stream of humans using them, perhaps it would inspire us to reflect, as a society, on our current existence and where our trajectory is headed?

Doubtful, but who knows.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

If we remove the professional gating of assisted suicide, and we remove the stigma around suicide, and we make it easier and more comfortable to carry out, I expect we’ll see dramatically higher suicide rates. Some of them will be people who were so miserable that death was a relief. But others will be people suffering from temporary despair.

On the other hand, if you remove the stigma of suicide, you might also remove the stigma surrounding suicidal ideation. I'd like to think that most people who were considering this would talk to their loved ones about it ahead of time and, as such, it might be a good way for loved ones to offer more assistance before it's too late.

Of course you'd also get the sociopaths who'd use these things for manipulative purposes, but those types already use the threat of suicide for those reasons.

Furthermore, it will be an indictment of our society as a whole, and the decreasing sense of purpose, belonging, and happiness.

I'm not sure which golden age of belonging, purpose, and happiness you're comparing the current era to. Suicide rates have been relatively stable in Canada for the past two decades, and lower than they were in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

You say she was happy, but I wonder if you would have asked her straight up what she would have said. My mom seemed happy enough, right up until she put a gun to her head. If my dad was able to find her sleeping peacefully in a pod instead of discovering a horrific mess that would have been a lot of extra trauma avoided

I did ask her that on a number of occassions. My coming to see her as well as her 2 daughters gave her something to look forward to everyday. The three of us made a difference in her life and she appreciated what we did for her.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Dion

I did ask her that on a number of occassions. My coming to see her as well as her 2 daughters gave her something to look forward to everyday. The three of us made a difference in her life and she appreciated what we did for her.

My family is pretty cold that way. Once you go into an institution-style old folks home we leave you for dead. Not kidding. It's like an unspoken agreement we all share and I like it.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Locke

I never thought I'd see the day when 'Ease of Use of Suicide Booths' was going to be a primary consideration and selling feature.

And yet here we are...

At least the creators arent going to have to worry about bad Google reviews from unsatisfied customers...

On the contrary, maybe they would hear from some of the unsatisfied ones, but the satisfied ones probably won't be able to leave a review.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Sliver

My family is pretty cold that way. Once you go into an institution-style old folks home we leave you for dead. Not kidding. It's like an unspoken agreement we all share and I like it.

When I would go visit Olive I would have to pass numerous rooms where seniors were sitting in their chairs begging for someone to talk to them. PCA's and nurses told me that their familes would abandon them there and not visit. I thought it was cruel what families did.

After Olive passed away I stopped volunteering. It was very hard for me to see all those sad faces while walking to Olive's room.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Dion

When I would go visit Olive I would have to pass numerous rooms where seniors were sitting in their chairs begging for someone to talk to them. PCA's and nurses told me that their familes would abandon them there and not visit. I thought it was cruel what families did.

I'd be careful with that. Some people can be real pieces of #### to their families and there are good reasons why their family might not want to visit.

[woob]

I do find it odd that they say it can used as a coffin after. Seems like a super expensive coffin!

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by woob

I do find it odd that they say it can used as a coffin after. Seems like a super expensive coffin!

sure they "say" it can.
But in reality get rid of the body, wipe it down and use it for the next person. extra profit!


If it's really expensive, say 50K or more, I hope you'll be able to just have a lien put on your estate for the cost of the unit.

[D as in David]

I wonder if they make a version that can accommodate a couple who wish to die together. Call it the Romeo and Juliet.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

sure they "say" it can.
But in reality get rid of the body, wipe it down and use it for the next person. extra profit!

And then a poorly trained cleaning person accidentally hits the wrong button while wiping it down...

[Dion]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I'd be careful with that. Some people can be real pieces of #### to their families and there are good reasons why their family might not want to visit.

You are correct. There were seniors in that facility that gave the PCA's and nurses a lot of grief. Some had to moved to other facilities.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by D as in David

And then a poorly trained cleaning person accidentally hits the wrong button while wiping it down...

Unauthorized use of pod will be deducted from their paycheque.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Unauthorized use of pod will be deducted from their paycheque.

Opens up more opportunity for upward mobility for lower level employees, though. They don't call it "climbing the ladder" for no reason.