The phrase " a permanent solution to a temporary problem "

[Ironweed]

Whoever came up with that saying should be thrown into a wood chipper.

It was popularized, if not flat out created, by Phil Donahue, a talk show host, I thought in the 1970s, but WikiQuote says 1984.

Whatever, he was every bit the idiot you would expect such a creature to be.

 

[CrushedHopes]

That phrase is only applicable when there is still hope. It obviously doesn't apply to me. My life's over.

 

[BlueWidow]

Yeah, this is probably my least favorite phrase. As if it's not selfish to keep a suffering person alive.

And if you're donating your organs then I think it's the opposite of selfish.

I wonder if you can still donate your organs if you die by SN poisoning? I'm signed up to be an organ donor, but I'm not sure if my organs will be usable.
Having said that, many of my organs are already not usable. I have no vision in my left & limited vision in my right eye, so I'm not sure that they are usable. I wouldn't wish my thyroid on anybody. My nerves & my brain are probably not things I would wish on anybody either. My heart and my lungs and my ears are in pretty good shape as far as I know, but I don't know what the SN would do to my heart and lungs. Do they donate ears to people? I do have an excellent sense of hearing and that may be the only part of me that's really worth anything.

 

[notjustyetagain]

even if i grant the premise as true (i.e. that my and others' problems are temporary), a permanent solution still seems better than a temporary one. please cite some examples of preference being given to temporary solutions? planting a garden and not watering it, so it'll die in a couple of months? repairing a house wall so that it crumbles at some random point in the next week? going to a dentist and demanding a two-day filling? getting that job you love -- for a couple of hours? signing your marriage and divorce papers simultaneously? what is wrong with permanent solutions?!

 

[Dreamwithinadream]

My problems are anything but temporary. My health will continue to deteriorate over time and there's no way I'm going to get better.

 

[jgm63]

"a permanent solution to a temporary problem" does apply to some cases.
So as an expression, it has some validity, and it may help some people correctly decide against CTB.
However, it doesn't apply universally to everyone considering CTB.
When the expression is applied to cases where it may not apply, then it can understandably cause anger, etc.
However, there is validity in putting that expression "out there", since it may catch those people to whom it correctly applies.
An unfortunate side effect will be those without enough experience taking that phrase as a universal truth.

Those with more experience should ideally "forgive" those of less experience for this error, since in a previous life we may have been those same people.....

In the context of a one-to-one discussion, that expression should only be used if it genuinely applies to the case in hand.....

The more spiritually mature you are, the more you can see all the different angles without having to become angry, etc, although this may not be very "satisfying" to the human self, but then again the human self may be one of the key obstacles preventing enlightenment.....

 

[waterbottleman]

It doesn't feel like a "temporary problem" when you've been an outcast your entire life and you have lived for almost 3 decades.

 

[FTL.Wanderer]

...should be permanently deleted.

 

[TimeToBiteTheDust]

TEMPORARY PROBLEM?! Go and tell that to a person with chronic pain

 

[S1mpleme]

Just a silly phrase, don't pay attention. They have one solution for everyone and everything - don't die, life is great.