This comment was posted at Thread: [Trigger Warning!] Your Opinions on Suicide.
[Trigger Warning: Suicide]
I recently was browsing through the comments on an art piece on DeviantART.com, and reading the comments reminded me of how diverse people's opinions on suicide are. Suicide has the potential to be a controversial topic in discussions, since there are so many different opinions on the subject of suicide. For example, many people consider suicide a cowardly act, shameful and disgraceful for the individual who is selfishly choosing to end their own life. From what I have observed and read, mainstream "society" seems to agree with this opinion. On the other hand, in what seems to be the minority, some people are sympathetic to those who are suicidal, offering help and comfort in an attempt to guide the person away from suicide; meanwhile, others respect suicide and a person's individual choice. Coming full circle, some people condemn suicide and those who choose that path as foolish, whereas others simply admit that they do not understand the motivations behind suicide.
The arguments many people use to persuade a person out of suicide are just as plentiful as the opinions on the topic of suicide. Some people harshly say, "Get over it," or try to guilt the person into not committing suicide. Others argue that the person has "their full life ahead of them" and that committing suicide is a permanent solution to a short-term problem. As mentioned previously, some people offer support and friendship to those considering suicide, preferring sympathy and comfort as methods to dissuade someone from killing themselves. The arguments themselves vary in the degree of complexity and empathy, some consisting of nothing more than attempts to frighten the recipient away from committing suicide, while others are appeals from the heart, and others are full-blown essays attempting to "logically" persuade someone to continue living.
I suppose by now you are wondering, "What is the point of this post?" After that essay-like introduction, I would like to ask a few simple questions: What is your opinion on suicide? What emotions do you feel when you learn that someone is considering suicide? Do you attempt to dissuade people from suicide, and if so, what arguments and reasoning do you use? Finally, how do your personal experiences influence your opinion of suicide and how you approach the topic?
You may have noticed that there is not a poll accompanying this thread. Rather than offer a simple click-and-leave option, I would like for this thread to encourage thought, perhaps spark a discussion, or at least a conversation. Please keep this thread civil--disruptive fights and vitriolic speech are unwelcome. Empathy, or at least an attempt at empathy, is encouraged when replying to a user's post. And please do not feel pressured to talk about something that you yourself do not wish to discuss.
I hope that this post is able to rouse some activity and a discussion (and possibly create a break from all of the drama), but I won't be surprised if it falls flat on its face like my last few thread attempts. I plan to post this thread in at least two other places, so I will probably edit in links to those discussions once I post those threads.
And...that's about it. It would appear that I am incapable of thinking of a good concluding sentence. Which is a shame, since this post started off so well...
I recently was browsing through the comments on an art piece on DeviantART.com, and reading the comments reminded me of how diverse people's opinions on suicide are. Suicide has the potential to be a controversial topic in discussions, since there are so many different opinions on the subject of suicide. For example, many people consider suicide a cowardly act, shameful and disgraceful for the individual who is selfishly choosing to end their own life. From what I have observed and read, mainstream "society" seems to agree with this opinion. On the other hand, in what seems to be the minority, some people are sympathetic to those who are suicidal, offering help and comfort in an attempt to guide the person away from suicide; meanwhile, others respect suicide and a person's individual choice. Coming full circle, some people condemn suicide and those who choose that path as foolish, whereas others simply admit that they do not understand the motivations behind suicide.
The arguments many people use to persuade a person out of suicide are just as plentiful as the opinions on the topic of suicide. Some people harshly say, "Get over it," or try to guilt the person into not committing suicide. Others argue that the person has "their full life ahead of them" and that committing suicide is a permanent solution to a short-term problem. As mentioned previously, some people offer support and friendship to those considering suicide, preferring sympathy and comfort as methods to dissuade someone from killing themselves. The arguments themselves vary in the degree of complexity and empathy, some consisting of nothing more than attempts to frighten the recipient away from committing suicide, while others are appeals from the heart, and others are full-blown essays attempting to "logically" persuade someone to continue living.
I suppose by now you are wondering, "What is the point of this post?" After that essay-like introduction, I would like to ask a few simple questions: What is your opinion on suicide? What emotions do you feel when you learn that someone is considering suicide? Do you attempt to dissuade people from suicide, and if so, what arguments and reasoning do you use? Finally, how do your personal experiences influence your opinion of suicide and how you approach the topic?
You may have noticed that there is not a poll accompanying this thread. Rather than offer a simple click-and-leave option, I would like for this thread to encourage thought, perhaps spark a discussion, or at least a conversation. Please keep this thread civil--disruptive fights and vitriolic speech are unwelcome. Empathy, or at least an attempt at empathy, is encouraged when replying to a user's post. And please do not feel pressured to talk about something that you yourself do not wish to discuss.
I hope that this post is able to rouse some activity and a discussion (and possibly create a break from all of the drama), but I won't be surprised if it falls flat on its face like my last few thread attempts. I plan to post this thread in at least two other places, so I will probably edit in links to those discussions once I post those threads.
And...that's about it. It would appear that I am incapable of thinking of a good concluding sentence. Which is a shame, since this post started off so well...