What is your opinion of suicide?

I think that a person should be able to take their own life without others’ ridicule…one’s life is all one has to control to an extent and it’s not up to you or me to tell someone they can’t end it…yes, it’s a selfish act but I don’t consider selfishness, sometimes, to be negative…now, however you respond to someone’s suicide, their note, or whoever they left behind is part of how you will control your own life and if you spend it by blaming them, you’re not doing their memory justice, imo…

I am sorry you lost a friend, I, too have lost someone to suicide, long ago, and I miss them

Admittedly it’s a very vague answer but I believe it to be entirely dependant upon the context in which the suicide occurs. In some circumstances a person may be committing suicide in the belief that they are helping others while some are simply searching for an escape. Sometimes it’s a selfish act, sometimes others are selfish for ‘restricting’ it, sometimes it’s the most logical option and sometimes it’s idiotic. The only certainty I understand with concerns to the matter is that whatever the reasoning, suicide eliminates all other available options. However even this degree of sacrifice can sometimes be rationally justified.

The Magicians Assistant
^ That pretty much sums up my feelings on suicide.

People who kill themselves can be assumed to have exhausted all the other options they can imagine. To call this “selfish” is bizarrely selfish. It’s not about you.

I believe that no one has ever regretted committing suicide :)

But seriously, I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I think that if you died, it would be as though you never lived, at least from your own point of view. But since life is as pointless as death, then you might as well go on living, no matter how bad it is. So even as a nihilistic atheist, I think suicide is pretty lame, and is just an indicator that the victim was not very smart.

How is suicide selfish?

In the person’s mind no one cares about them. To themselves they are nothing, and taking themselves out will do nothing negative, and to some, even better society. People who commit suicide have mental issues. How can someone who has a dilusional view of the world be considered selfish?

They are simply doing whats best for themselves (and perhaps society), as they understand things.

usually people who commit suicide think that no one cares about them so they will not hurt anyone. while it not being the best answer they might see it as the only answer. The last words of the only suicide note that ive seen were “if no one will listen then no one will miss me when im gone.” So it might not be completely their fault for being so compelled to take their own life.

I didn’t read the description of question, so let me address that.

I agree with @Ownage that the person was not being selfish. Your friend was in a corner that she felt she had no way of escaping from. Think about why she killed herself and use this knowledge to be more empathetic toward the problems of people you meet in the future. It wasn’t your fault that your friend did what she did, but maybe you can use this experience to improve the lives of others who are in need.

I think if people were less selfish in general, then there would be less people wanting to commit suicide.

When a person believes that suicide is selfish – they believe in a less individualistic society. They believe everyone makes things go.

When a person believes that suicide is not selfish – they believe in individualism. Die-hard individualism. They believe the individual makes things happen, and when many individuals come together, things happen.

It’s a societal point of view. Please open your eyes and stop bashing the original poster for posting his/her belief.

Just post what you believe about suicide without the biting.

CALL 1–800-Suicide

Thank you to squirbel. Yeah wasnt looking to get bashed just gave my opinion and wanted others views. I dont feel that way directly toward her or anyone else who makes this choice more to the act itself. I know that I and others dont know why she did it or what was truely going through her head at the time. If I did maybe it would be different. But thanks to all.

It’s a matter of choice.

I think it’s the weakest way to “face” reality.

True, how much does it take to end it all?

I think that a person is not in their usual/right state of mind (duh) and thus they are doing what they think is the only option. This is why I don’t believe that it should be illegal or that people who commit suicide go to hell or anything like that.

I tend to agree, after all who decides that someone must die?

you are super brave to take your life
you are super coward to face your life
Sorry for your loss…

sometimes it sucks that you couldnt tell them “it will get better” sometimes it seems like that could save a life

I think it’s a very complicated issue. It’s impossible to know what someone is really thinking and what would drive them to end their life. The truth is everything we do does tend to affect someone else.
Maybe the hardest part is just not understanding why and knowing you will never be able to.

It’s something I’ve never been able to understand, except for someone who’s terminally ill and under so much pain that each second of their life is hell.

Otherwise, If you’re not interested in your own life anymore, just dedicate it to do some good in this world until your time is up.