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On May 05 2013 02:41 Mothra wrote:Show nested quote +On May 04 2013 18:36 ktimekiller wrote:On May 04 2013 13:41 Mothra wrote:On May 04 2013 13:11 ktimekiller wrote:
You think America has suicide problems, look at Korea XD Are their suicide rates high historically? Korea's suicide rates have been high since the rise of the salaryman I think. Which would be the late 1900s I know it sounds ethnocentric but I wonder how much America's exported culture has impacted happiness in countries that are heavily influenced.
Barring the obvious issues in measuring such a thing, what good does this perspective do us? Are we to somehow restrict or control the pervasion of American media in foreign countries, or are we looking for some means of assigning culpability? I think in many ways this strategy is highly offensive towards foreign cultures in that it assumes a degree of "immaturity" insofar as cultural authenticity is concerned. It is as though you are arguing that American culture is somehow so strong that it overrides any native cultural influences, "Oh look, their culture isn't unique enough in my eyes, it must be because they are being made perverse through exposure to American media that they are committing suicide." Many Asian cultures have long histories of different attitudes towards suicide than the West; I think it might be more useful to start there.
Furthermore, I think this sort of perspective becomes less and less meaningful as globalization and the long arms of the internet reach out ever wider. The boundaries of what defines a nation's "culture" are no longer very neat; TL is a perfect example of this phenomena.
On May 05 2013 02:48 Mothra wrote:Show nested quote +On May 04 2013 20:47 sc4k wrote:
Anyone who reads Cracked.com regularly knows they did an article recently highlighting how if guns are banned, the suicide rate drops and stays down permanently. The same happens when nets are put on big bridges. With the lack of an 'easy' way out some people just keep living. They may keep living, but they won't necessarily want to live. I would much rather try to give people a hope that their life is worth something, rather than merely taking away their ability to end it. Numbers can only tell so much... we can reduce numbers of deaths, yet not lower human suffering.
The point is that "easy suicide" allows many to make irreversible choices in moments of despair that might otherwise be overcome by the words of a friend, the care of a loved one, or merely a bit more time as they contemplate their desire to die. When guns are around, the time frame is shortened, leading to an increased rate of successful suicide. Additionally, most other methods of suicide are far more difficult to perform correctly; even the overdose runs into the issue of the bodies desire to regurgitate fatal substances.
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On May 04 2013 23:26 Bommes wrote:Show nested quote +On May 04 2013 20:47 sc4k wrote:
Anyone who reads Cracked.com regularly knows they did an article recently highlighting how if guns are banned, the suicide rate drops and stays down permanently. The same happens when nets are put on big bridges. With the lack of an 'easy' way out some people just keep living. My favourite musician, John Frusciante, said in an interview a long time ago that if he had a gun during a period of time when he was a drug addict he is 100% certain that he would have killed himself. He wanted nothing more than a gun. Today he is probably among the happiest people on the whole planet, at least as far as I can tell based on his music & appearance. I don't know him personally of course.
I like him a lot too. I think a big part of his wish to die was from drug addiction but I don't know him personally either. The article does talk about addiction to pain-killers as being a possible factor in increased suicide rates.
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On May 05 2013 02:08 MattBarry wrote:Show nested quote +On May 04 2013 11:02 SnipedSoul wrote:On May 04 2013 10:37 TheSwamp wrote:On May 04 2013 07:33 Mothra wrote:On May 04 2013 07:20 TheSwamp wrote:To be fair, baby boomers have never been regarded as the most responsible generation. I'm sure health is a factor in suicides, but money is definitely a huge contributor. I think you have a point with the "live fast, die young" mentality of such people. The problem with that way of life is not everyone dies young. Ps I missed my bus stop while writing this. So you better fucking respond.  Agreed, but nevertheless we want them to have a happy and comfortable old age in spite of past irresponsibility. And I wonder if our generations are going to fare any better. Sorry you missed bus, please don't do anything drastic because of it. It's cool. I got to walk a little extra today. I don't think the current generation of 20 somethings and teenagers will be much better off, unfortunately. One of the major problems is there really isn't a lot of "how to financially prepare for your future/retirement" courses in high school. (If someone has had a class like this I would love to hear if you think it helped you). Kids are just thrown into the world without basic knowledge of how money really works. My dad has spoken to many high school classes about financial planning. He says that the kids don't even pretend to listen to him. Telling kids doesn't work, they have to see it for themselves. I think the worst thing you can do to a child is pay for everything they want. Pay for what they need: food, shelter, clothing, and schooling. Anything else they want they can either wait for their birthday/christmas or buy themselves. I took Economics my junior year of high school. The teacher was my favorite high school teacher, he taught nothing but how to plan for our futures and only taught enough market theory stuff for us to invest wisely. Really cool class, we had to do a real life project and practice budgeting. Most useful class I ever took in high school. Every school should make that kind of class mandatory.
I agree that they need to teach this kind of stuff. Even nutrition, cooking, how to wash clothes etc. Many people do not learn at home. So much of school is just idle time and busywork anyway... couldn't they teach us useful skills like this?
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The more rational society becomes, the more suicides there will be. Because suicide in many cases is more rational than clinging to life, which is done out of fear of the unknown, or hell, or whatever.
Leaving this life in a timely manner is a good decision. It's true there are people who did it in an irrational/emotional moment, but it is also true that there are people who weigh the idea for years before deciding on it. Then there are people who are suffering immensely, either physically or psychologically, who can reach the obvious conclusion that their remaining days will be more pain than they are worth. When the time comes, I will take my leave, unless life gets me first. And I'm sure there will be ignorant people who will call me selfish or stupid. What's stupid is being in perpetual denial of our inevitable fate.
When you are dead, you won't give a fuck whether you died at 81 or 82. I promise.
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On May 04 2013 23:26 Bommes wrote:Show nested quote +On May 04 2013 20:47 sc4k wrote:
Anyone who reads Cracked.com regularly knows they did an article recently highlighting how if guns are banned, the suicide rate drops and stays down permanently. The same happens when nets are put on big bridges. With the lack of an 'easy' way out some people just keep living. My favourite musician, John Frusciante, said in an interview a long time ago that if he had a gun during a period of time when he was a drug addict he is 100% certain that he would have killed himself. He wanted nothing more than a gun. Today he is probably among the happiest people on the whole planet, at least as far as I can tell based on his music & appearance. I don't know him personally of course.
I also promise you that there are no dead people who regret missing out on future happiness.
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On May 05 2013 16:12 yeahImback wrote:Show nested quote +On May 04 2013 23:26 Bommes wrote:On May 04 2013 20:47 sc4k wrote:
Anyone who reads Cracked.com regularly knows they did an article recently highlighting how if guns are banned, the suicide rate drops and stays down permanently. The same happens when nets are put on big bridges. With the lack of an 'easy' way out some people just keep living. My favourite musician, John Frusciante, said in an interview a long time ago that if he had a gun during a period of time when he was a drug addict he is 100% certain that he would have killed himself. He wanted nothing more than a gun. Today he is probably among the happiest people on the whole planet, at least as far as I can tell based on his music & appearance. I don't know him personally of course. I also promise you that there are no dead people who regret missing out on future happiness.
But there are alive people who miss out on the happiness, that was kind of the point I was trying to make.
He has millions of fans because of his music, nothing of that would have happened if he was dead.
edit:
Also, you can't promise me anything, because you can't know anything about whether or not there is any form of existence after death or how our life influences that existence. Your "promises" are really obnoxious, please stop using them all the time.
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EPT
