The problem in my eyes are less “who we belong to” but more- consent. The age of consent in most cultures- “adulthood” is where we are deemed capable of making our own decisions. Most people- even those who believe suicide should be a choice- don’t advocate 3,7,10 year old children being able to decide if they want to buy alcohol or nicotine products, if they want to strip or make porn films right?
So- as an adult- we have deemed that you know you, your life. That you have the mental capacity to give informed consent. You can see the risks and benefits of a thing and decide for yourself if it is for you.
But.... here’s where things get shaky. Most but not all mental states that would lead a person to want to commit suicide are by current understand and default status of the deed- aberrant. Depression, anxiety, etc etc. states where there are chemical or other imbalances in the brain that literally prevent a person from making decisions we would ascribe to a healthy minded and capable adult. That is the first breach of informed consent- a person who’s mental state is altered in such a way to impede their decision making process cannot be completely said to be able to give informed consent.
The second breach of informed consent is what is the burden of information on suicide? At what point can we say that a human is capable of fully understanding the implications of that choice? It’s at the very least case by case and subject to intense scrutiny- but in a wider view- scientists and philosophers have studied death for ages and not come to a whole understanding of it.
But- if we take the purely pragmatic view- death is you as you are ceasing to exist. So then, would suicide only be allowed to the devout atheist and non spiritual- since scientifically we cannot say that those with religious beliefs understand what they are choosing? The demonstration of belief in afterlife shows us that wether the truth is that death is a door to reincarnation, afterlife, or simply the end of a person- we cannot give informed consent by an objective standard if we believe anything but the standard ruling whatever it may be.
Suicide would best be classified as a medical/psychological procedure. An irreversible one that cannot pass the burden of clinical trials. If we talk about a transplant or a gene therapy, and say that we don’t know the long term effects, can’t speak to the outcome or side effects beyond knowing t provides lasting and serious harm to health for temporary relief- that procedure would be outlawed.
Ultimately it doesn’t matter. Suicide is a personal choice. Anyone can make it, and if one is committed to the choice and unwavering in their resolve they cannot be stopped. No power this earth knows can punish you for successfully committing suicide. The legality of the thing is largely irrelevant in that sense as only “assisted suicide” and such would have any consequences of meaning to anyone alive.
But it is certainly in the interest of society as it exists today to stop suicide. The emotional and psychological impact as well as the social and economic impacts of socially endorsed suicide are severe. Once we label life a choice, we devalue life. How can we argue for “universal healthcare” if there is no compulsion to attempt to save human life due to the value of life? Life is then a commodity- if you want it- like a home or a car or a private island- you will work for it and sacrifice for it- and if you don’t.. who is to blame but you? That’s a very brutal world.
But it isn’t in the interest of those in power to present an “easy” and acceptable way “out” because the world needs armies of workers and drones. A pyramid, and the more are towards the top the more are needed towards the bottom to support that.
Be careful what one wishes for- because the world where suicide is allowed to be legal by the powers at work is one where any value that the “lower classes” (including “middle class”) might have is gone. They’ll let you kill yourself when you are no longer needed and the world will not miss you. When that happens, I do not think this is a world I want to be a part of.
Thank goodness, I couldn't sleep but once I saw there was a post with 15 comments sticking out from the rest of the posts I knew there might be a 770 word comment to lull me to sleep so I appreciate it.
Do you belong only to yourself?
Do your actions only affect you?