Discussion What do you think of this ? (Image)

[LonelyHopelessDude]

Title.

 

[AlexM]

First I'd like to hear what do that 160 people think about it.

 

[thelastchicken]

There surely is a lot to know, I'd love to hear his stories, but same as what the previous comment says, would love to hear the other sides as well. I know I would like to be approached by a kind person, to have a last talk.

 

[LonelyHopelessDude]

Upon seeing someone on The Gap in distress, Ritchie would cross the road from his property and engage them in conversation, often beginning with the words, "Can I help you in some way?" Afterwards Ritchie would invite them back to his home for a cup of tea and a chat. Some of the people he helped would return years later to thank him for his efforts in talking them out of their decision.

 

[S1mpleme]

How about the rest that committed suicide?

 

[LonelyHopelessDude]

How about the rest that committed suicide?

Well , words couldn't make them change their choice.

 

[Rosiel]

I think his opening question "Can I help you in some way" is very powerful. It's unassuming. Feeling like a burden is one of the major reasons why I justify my own desire to CTB, and I can imagine I'd be persuaded to at least have a chat with someone who would ask me this question, especially if my method of suicide is gonna be painful as is the case possibly with The Gap.

 

[MysticPerception]

I think if those people really wanted to do it badly enough they would have just thrown themselves off the moment they saw him coming. There's nothing wrong with hesitating but I think he did a good thing helping people who really just wanted someone to reach out to them. Sometimes people go their whole lives never having anyone be truly nice to them so to have someone peacefully approach them and offer them kindness without any ulterior motive it can be life changing in a good way for them.

 

[Throwawaysoul]

First I'd like to hear what do that 160 people think about it.

This! Where are they now? How are they doing ? What ratio went on to CTB?

 

[memataporfavor]

we're alive. there's no rush to ctb. It is not harmful to open up to someone, drink some tea when we're in distress or hesitant. Sometimes just a talk can make a person change their mind and that's a great thing. To give another chance. If it doesn't work, they can always come back.
If you consider the man's approach some sort of privacy invasion, you can always ignore him and go on with your plan.
But I do think his actions do more good than harm.

 

[Jean4]

No different than what I do here. People write me to talk. Sometimes that is all one needs. Someone to listen. Someone to care.

If someone is ready, nothing will matter.

 

[dandan]

People who can solve their suicidal intentions, by talking, are not fully suicidal or do not know what it is to have a quimical imbalance that makes your life shit.
No psychologist needed, I needed not to talk to anyone, just the proper medication for my issue.
Sure I do talk to someone about all this, a pshychatrist, but I dont consult anymore.

What do I think of the picture?
I almost never believe shit like that. if its true, cool, if not cool anyway.

 

[mathieu]

Yeah, give me a push, old man!

 

[Moonicide]

I think it's really sweet of him to try to be there for people during their final moments. You can't save the people that don't want to be saved, but ultimately there were people he encountered that wanted to be saved and heard. And that's something worth acknowledging... Plus, I also enjoy tea.

 

[k75]

I think it's nice, and there's nothing wrong with it. It sounds like he was kind and supportive, and nothing indicates he pushed any unwanted views on anyone. If people changed their minds because of a simple gesture from a stranger, then they probably weren't ready to go.

 

[ARW3N]

There are lots of accounts like this one from various suicide hotspots around the world of people saving strangers from suicide. However, we don't know how many of the strangers he saved went on to successfully kill themselves afterwards. The problem with suicide is the ambivalence of the act itself because of the survival instinct. To understand what I'm trying to convey it's best to watch the documentary film The Bridge featuring real suicidal jumpers. One jumper does a backflip, whilst another looks like he's falling rather than jumping in order to circumvent the survival instinct. The most revealing jumper is a woman who is repeatedly saved by bystanders because she keeps standing where they stand. She'll keep trying until she inevitably succeeds in circumventing her survival instinct.

 

[thelastchicken]

Such a gesture from a stranger may instill hope in many hearts, especially in the hearts of the invisible ones.

Has anybody here watched the movie "Julia's eyes"? Spanish movie, I watched it with subtitles. What moved me deeply about it was the "man without light" part. I appreciate it so much.