emotional

An oxymoron. Criticism is destructive of its very definition. Of course, it may be in order to make room for building something else, but then you don't call blowing up slums "constructive", even if it's to make room for newer buildings.

Samhain

Actually criticism is the act of passing judgement or extreme judgement regarding the merits of said thing. It's basically the action of disapproval. If you disapprove of your child playing on the freeway, is this destructive? Regarding your statement about slums: if the slums can be viewed as to cause more harm than good, and it would be better to destroy those slums than to have them continue, can we say that it is destructive? In this sense it is the desctruction of something which is more destructive when existent. I don't mean to nit-pick, but you might want to define your view of criticism before you go on.

emotional

If you want to call "destruction of something harmful" construction, then that might be the leeway for the term "constructive criticism", but that's mere word-play. Criticism never builds, it only destroys; now, this is not to say criticism is good or bad, but simply, back to the subject of suicide: you indeed mention the phrase "passing judgement", and that is the crux of my argument. A person in depression, all the more so suicidal, should not be judged. It is akin to a skier who breaks his leg at the slalom, and people say, "what an idiot he was for skiing in such an angle" - adding insult to injury.

All I hear about suicidal people from other people is how selfish, how insensitive it is for one to commit suicide. First of all, they have no right to pass judgement, because if they were suicidal they'd easily understand the motive; second, in the face of pain which must be cured instantly but isn't, any talk of suicide as a "selfish act" has a hollow ring. Might as well call taking aspirin as a "selfish act".

case

I have to agree with devnet on the "selfish act" idea. To someone who isn't suicidal, how could they possibly understand? Besides, I don't think that any act by anyone could be described any other way than selfish.

winstonjen

Laws against suicide imply laws against attempted suicide. If people know they will be punished for trying and failing, they will be encouraged to succeed, which will increase the number of successful suicides. This demonstrates the cruelty of such a law. Contrary to popular belief, it can be difficult to successfully bump yourself off painlessly and easily. A bullet to the head may leave someone paralysed and unable to finish themselves off - leaving them in a worse situation than they were in before. And by making it illegal, you discourage suicidally depressed individuals from seeking help, because they are afraid of being shunned by society, which again brings the suicide rate up.

Abbasux

My mom tried to kill herself last year, I think suicide is a bad thing.

_|ason

This poses an interesting question: If I have a DNR order, and I shoot myself, do they have to leave me to die? A shot to the head should eventually prove to be fatal, provided that no one 'interferes'.

winstonjen

Self-starvation will prove fatal after a long time as well, and yet it is legal to commit suicide that way, but a quick lethal injection is illegal. :boohoo:

However, an overdose of morphine that results in hastening or causing death is OK, as long as the 'intention' was to relieve suffering.

Eric Starnes

I think fears of brain damage, disfigurement, and involuntary hospitalization from failed attempts pretty much have the will to succeed covered.