Sensei
剣道家
- Nov 4, 2019
- 6,336
The term "pro-life" is used frequently in this forum and often quite arbitrarily, in my opinion. It has become something of a derogatory term for almost anything and a manifestation of an "us" and "them" mentality. In the end, I think "pro-life" and "pro-choice" risk losing their meanings and become empty and distorted labels, like for instance the political terms "conservative", "liberal", "socialist", and "fascist". So, this is how I see it. It's just my personal opinions and I fully understand that not everyone will agree with them.
This is pro-life, or at least not pro-choice, in my opinion:
This is not pro-life, in my opinion:
I admit that this is borderline pro-life, but I personally think it's reasonable anyway:
There are of course always exceptions. For instance, suicide might be the most rational course of action for a person in a late stage of terminal cancer or ALS, even if it's a 15-year-old or a parent of six. That's my two cents.
This is pro-life, or at least not pro-choice, in my opinion:
- To deny someone the right to commit suicide.
- To fail to acknowledge or even understand that everyone has the right to commit suicide.
- To claim that suicide never is an alternative or always a bad alternative.
- To judge someone for wanting to commit suicide or for actually committing suicide.
- To belittle someone's desire to die by questioning their reasons or using platitudes.
- To show contempt for someone who's suicidal instead of being understanding.
This is not pro-life, in my opinion:
- To discuss options with someone who is suicidal. In many cases, suicide is not the only option, but an option. As long as suicide is recognized as a valid option, it never hurts to explore other options, just as with everything else in life. The option of suicide won't disappear.
- To think that suicide should be the final option when no other options remain. Sometimes suicide is the least bad option and sometimes a pre-emptive strike may be the most rational course of action, but we can't get past the fact that suicide lowers the number of options to zero.
- To discuss with someone who's suicidal whether they are thinking rationally. For instance, someone can be very young, in a state of affect, mentally ill, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Suicide is such an important decision that it shouldn't be carried out on a whim.
- To think that suicide is something tragic. A suicide can be necessary, rational, liberating, and even beautiful, but we can't get past the fact that a fellow human being dies. It doesn't help that people who commit suicide often are kind and innocent people, at least around here.
- To encourage someone who's actively trying to recover. Someone who tries to recover is obviously trying to avoid a premature death and shouldn't be discouraged for doing so. Suicide is for people in utter despair, not for people with hope, even if it's just a glimmer.
I admit that this is borderline pro-life, but I personally think it's reasonable anyway:
- To try to convince a young person to not commit suicide. This is undeniably to not recognize someone's right to commit suicide. However, it's a biological fact that a human being's brain isn't fully developed until around the age of 25 and it's a fact of life that young people lack life experience, so one can argue that their thinking isn't always fully rational.
- To question a parent for wanting to commit suicide. This is undeniably to not recognize someone's right to commit suicide too. On the other hand, one can argue that the deed has too serious repercussions to be justifiable. Children are dependent on their parents and are traumatized for life by a suicide. They never asked to be born and shouldn't have to suffer.
There are of course always exceptions. For instance, suicide might be the most rational course of action for a person in a late stage of terminal cancer or ALS, even if it's a 15-year-old or a parent of six. That's my two cents.