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Do you feel it is appropriate to take your own life if you have a debilitating illness, such as cancer, and there is no hope that you will survive no matter what treatment may be offered? Why or why not?

CuddyCruiser 8 May 9
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1

Personal bodily, intellectual sovereignty and free agency thereof are the conceptual platform upon which our fragile political system rests. Unfortunately, because of group social, economic and migrated cultural mores and interests, complete protection of our personal sovereignty has been a bitter national struggle. Considering that our crumbling Republic has only existed for about 230 years, some astonishing leaps forward have been accomplished.

Most important progress among them, in my view, has been reestablishment of social and political parity for females and children. Parity, however, isn't full equality. Voluntarily preserved vestiges of the property system that reduced women and children to near livestock status remain in 'advanced' nations and little to no change has occurred in the so-called Third World. In also so-called advanced civilization, women and children still bear surnames of either fathers or husbands. There is still an assumed male 'head of household' unless otherwise stipulated. Men remain at the top of every large political, commercial and theological establishment; making this still very much a man's world.

Besides that most important advancement toward universal human dignity and equality, we also managed to rid our society of slave ownership officially; although it continues to exist de facto in commerce and familial arrangements. The institution, as it is called, of slavery is not one based primarily on race, but on procurement, in the erstwhile huge world, of those either taken captive upon venturing far from native lands or captured at home and taken to places far away. Both practices providing extra security by making escape difficult to impossible. Differences in tongues, races and cultures also made them easier to recapture. As with women and children as property, our part of the world has made great progress in having abandoned those forms of captivity and trade. In pockets abroad, slavery is still alive and well. Slavery is just the honest, straightforward admission that the practice of holding other humans captive is what political organization is about at all levels. Chains and bars are only the more obvious forms of captivity; ideological and theological cult chains and bars, though invisible are far more sophisticated and effective at making captives fearful of consequences of escape.

Chief among influences that surreptitiously deprive us of personal sovereignty rather than expanding and enhancing it are theology and ALL forms of governmental centralization. They are functionally identical, in common functional principles employed to herd timorous masses who fail to recognize that consolidation of power is antithetical to individual liberty. Labels by which totalitarianism is marketed to masses are just that: LABELS. Absolute power corrupts. That usurped power via false authoritarian labeling is it's earliest symptom was painfully understood by the generation that birthed the US political system. Future distancing and protection from theology and other elitist, illegitimate power grabbing was their fondest hope. They birthed a best attempt at fledgling documents twice and the second flew; but for how long?

They understood longing for freedom to be at the core of our natural existence. It instinctively felt right and a means of codifying it for the first time was thought to externally guarantee a future of fulfilling and protecting those longings. Their flaw in understanding was that something externally established could be expanded upon and maintained. It was doomed to insufficiency beneath their Promethean foundation.. Why? How?

Even today a major flaw in social thinking is the false notion of 'family' as the elemental building block of a free society'. It is in my view, the secondary building block, as a molecule is a building block of a chemical compound. The primary (atomic) building block of human societies is the composition of individual character structure. If individual character develops free of authoritarian, usurped male exclusivity of superiority and ownership, a healthier, freer culture can eventuate. This has been discovered and established as fact via still budding sciences of Archaeology and Anthropology; confirmed by discoveries and interpretation of ancient artifacts and observation of precious few surviving human cultures isolated geographically and thereby protected from the scourges of conquesting, male dominated theologies and empires that infected our 'civilized world'.

Under any label such as, for example, dictatorship, fascism, socialism, theocracy, etc. the common totalitarian infection thread and common functional principle is that of dominion of elder emotionally and sexually sick males with a penchant for self-aggrandizing attire and demeanor and forced worship by 'lower forms'. So it happens to be within the human family as well. The building block of a fascist society isn't the abusive, power drunk chief of state, but individual character structure corrupted as soon as possible by 'rightness' of male authoritarianism embodied first in theology and subsequently in political structures spawned by it.

If individuals aren't equitably respected, nurtured and protected in status within family, how can one expect those same families to intrinsically understand and maintain more advanced, external socio-political strata fancifully labeled as civilized 'free societies'? Social organization is hierarchic advancement defined by and confined by it's constituent parts; by it's elemental damaged character structures and secondary compounds of them called family. From that point tertiary organization of 'community' and all subsequent levels of organization continue, infected by the same flaw; the same pathogenic, self-fulfilling central male ownership and absolute authority paradigm.

Until or, more likely, unless humanity fosters fierce egalitarianism, love and cooperative nurturing respect and protection of the young, instead of exploitative dominion over females and children, I believe we're doomed to cyclical resurgence of dormant fascism securely locked within our character structure. Like malaria, herpes and other maladies that erupt at bodily level in weakened states; dormant totalitarian properties break out at the social hierarchic level whenever maintenance of an artificial, albeit well intentioned, system falls into predictable decay. Lasting satisfaction of instinctive, core human yearnings to be loved, protected and respected can't be achieved in a by-passing and ignoring the fact that they are literally 'strangled in the cradle' by pathogenic anti-life dominion.

There is no simple answer to the roots of why we aren't respected as individuals by our laws when laws are authored and enacted by some who consider themselves 'betters' and view some others as mere wards. Sadly, our damaged structures' cooperation within that frame of reference is what ultimately imperils not only our liberty, but our kind's continued existence.

If self-ownership and self determination ever fully exist, right of self-termination won't even occur as a question.

10

It's My Life and only I am responsible for it.

8

A person's life is theirs and theirs alone. If someone chooses to end their life for whatever reason they feel is justified that's their right. Will some people choose death pre-maturely, yes. Some teens will die because they were bullied, some young adults will die because they think they've failed at life by the age of 25. There's bound to be tragedies but for the people who've reached the end of their tether or for whom continued existence is a fate worse than death, it's a way out.

My brother's death from brain cancer was nightmarish and went on for months. If he could have been euthanized, I would have demanded it to spare him from the suffering he endured to die naturally. In a case like that, assisted suicide wasn't just preferable, it was the merciful action to take on behalf of a loved one.

I once put my cat down when he was ravaged by feline leukemia so I could end his pain. How is it we can perform this act of mercy on our pets but not for our family?

8

I have absolutely no problem with assisted suicide. I hate the word suicide. So, I have no problem with someone ending their own life, as long as they are in a sane and rational state of mind. Right now, I do not know what I would do. If I were in intense pain, I may wish to find relief from said pain. However, I feel responsible to certain people and their feelings - NONE of which hold religious convictions. Those family members who would want to stop me, on religious grounds, can go pound sand. It would, however, be something I would discuss before choosing to do so.

7

Yes. My life; my choice to die as I wish.

7

Absolutely. In 11 states we have the Death with Dignity program and the number is rising. In a couple of European countries there is even an euthanasia program. This should be a fundamental right of every person. Also, there is a group known as "Final Exit" which is actively involved in promoting this issue. [finalexitnetwork.org]

7

I believe it is each individual’s choice. If I was terminally ill, I would want the choice to end my suffering. 😉

7

A novel question to post at this time for me, 2020 for me was similar to a bowl of f*** that's been left on the counter for 2 days at 90% humidity 80°. February 11th I found out I have cancer of the esophagus a couple weeks later after a PET scan I was told it was metastatic so I was stage four so I ended up quit working due to the chemo and of course the coronavirus thing.
With that being said tomorrow I leave to go see my daughter in Indiana I've started keytruda I am not in remission so who knows how much longer but I want to make the decision when it gets here other than that, never give up never surrender. 🙂
And I get to take my Bolt on a road trip. Yippee ki-yay. 😆

Hey guy, have all the fun you can while you're here! I hope you're able to navigate your departure in a way that is satisfying and as painless as possible. See ya on the other side...maybe?

I feel for you. Sorry it happened to you. I hope the best for you as long as you're here and may all your choices be respected and honored. You deserve peace, happiness and courtesy especially now and I hope you get it.

@AlbertSchepis Thank you

Respect!!😎

7

Only if the illness makes a decent life impossible. A person's life is his or hers alone, and he or she has the right to make the choice.

7

I 1000% think people should have the right to end their suffering...

7

I think it's nobody's business but mine under Any circumstances!
Telling others what do with their body, where oh where have i run across That before....?

6

Absolutely...I refuse to suffer...I have suffered enough...I want to go out stoned out of my.gourd listening to my song list...😘

6

A persons life and body belongs ONLY to them and Them ALONE despite what the Godsters would have us believe.
We have NO qualms about letting a pet we love die in peace and dignity so WHY are we being subjected to either dying slowly, painfully and without due dignity, etc?
Are WE not better than those pets we have loved and allowed to also die with due dignity, etc?

6

You should have power to legally end your own life if you are of sound mind. Many of the "cures" for incurable diseases are as bad as the disease itself. I recall my mother with pancreatic cancer.

6

My life, my choice — non-negotiable. And I feel no need to justify a decision based on the extreme circumstances you describe. Sure, I would try to be considerate of others affected by such a decision, but don’t feel anything is “owed.” Frankly, I’d prefer to check out when in decent health and strong enough to ensure the circumstances I want, such as being outdoors.

6

I think body autonomy is everything and you should be able to peaceably and painlessly take your own life without any disease factor. If you can show it's well thought out and not a quick impulse response then you should be able to go have that medically done.

Leelu Level 7 May 9, 2021
5

the right to end your own life should be absolute . easy availability of pain and anxiety freeing drugs to that end should be part of a social network of support and assistance. google PEGASUS for information on the swiss organization that provides a "suicide tourist" service. soup to nuts. but they still require a medical note from home

5

If there's no hope and great suffering yup

5

Really is personal choice. Or offer myself for experimental treatment to advance towards cure

Done that. 😉

4

If I was dying from cancer, I would end my life.

Same here.

4

I couldn't add anything that hasn't already been said. I agree (of course) that a person's life is his own. Doesn't even need a reason or anyone else's permission as far as I'm concerned. Just posing the question annoys me. Anyone who'd disagree would just be spouting religious rhetoric and dogma, which in itself is always offensive to me but on this would be to the extreme.

4

Yes, I have backup plans for such a situation. I call it self-deliverance. Remember that little book that was published by the Hemlock Society?

Hemlock Society is now known as Final Exit.

@JackPedigo Thanks, Jack.

4

When I started on dialysis, the intake worker asked me if I wanted to be resuscitated if I coded. I told her not at this time, however my youngest son has medical power of attorney. He knows exactly what I want and don't want if I became unable to care for myself, and I absolutely believe he will make decisions correctly.

4

I believe life is all about making choices. Sometimes for some people, death is a last choice they can make, it shouldn't be taken away from them.

3

My mother died of "Bird Fanciers Lung Disease". Basically bid dander gets into the lungs of a person who is allergic. The dander causes inflammation and slowly covers the lungs with scar tissue. The scar tissue builds up over time and makes it harder for the lungs to supply oxygen. It is a slow suffocation that takes place over several years. For my mom it was more than ten years where it got harder and harder to breathe until she finally died from a lack of oxygen. My mother's brother also died of it, but he also had emphysema and so he died in a matter of months.

So, I'd say yes a person who is suffering from a terminal disease should be allowed to choose to die. Because ti is terrible to watch a person suffer for th rest of their life klnowign there is nothing that can be done.

I have been warned of this as I have asthma. I just can't give up the parrot I inherited.

@Mooolah I think there is a genetic test to determine if you are at risk.

3

your body your choice. My mom stopped eating and drinking of even a sip of water. 3 days, horror inducing to watch a loved one die in slow motion. About a week b4 she did that she and I spoke. I told her "You do what is right for you. Do not let dad or a relative or a priest or a doctor tell you otherwise. I made a fresh loaf of Foccaccio di Umbria and brought a slice to her....she held it for 3 days smelling it for relief. That is suicide, the hard way.

Sadly it is possible that a marijuanna concoction hemp oil, might have saved her life. But Scumbag repugnicans and shit bag dems made that impossible. I will hate them till I die.I hope everyone of them develops cancer and all their children die right in front of them, from the same cancer that killed mom.

To say i am bitter is an understatement of biblical proportions. And they will legalize and turn it over to big biz. And see NYT today an article on using chemicals like LSD Shrooms, Cacti for PTSD etc.

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