Why is euthanasia so controversial?

[Deleted User]

Politicians against it usually say "A child can determine to take his/her life away!" or "Someone depressed could attempt to quit living." Those two are at least the most popular ones albeit not very logical or valid.

First, a child cannot make decisions for him or herself, that's why you have parents to take care of hopefully making the right decisions. And two, there's a lot of people who say "I'm depressed!" on the internet, but they're actually just bored out of their minds while the clinically depressed don't care to tell others nor do they show off their disorder as it is embarrassing for them to admit (maybe some don't mind confessing).

My stance personally? I'm basically fine with it as long as it's all done correctly. You know, people could die in any way, but by euthanasia they can tell their loved ones the final goodbye and go out peacefully than in a forest, or jump off a bridge, or in front of a train, or a car crash, etc.

 

[comput3rus3r]

I don't know why it's controversial but I think you should go take some euthanasia.
/s

 

[FGFlann]

It comes down to two factors: How do you value life and how can the process be abused.

I don't really feel inclined to discuss the topic in depth, though. Life is tragic enough.

 

[TunaKetchup]

I'm dumb

 

[SG854]

I'm stupid

 

[Deleted User]

It comes down to two factors: How do you value life and how can the process be abused.

I don't really feel inclined to discuss the topic in depth, though. Life is tragic enough.

I agree that it can be abused, just like anything else in life which is why it needs to be verified closely.

 

[Hanafuda]

Because once you normalize letting people decide to end their own life, eventually someone comes up with reasons why the government gets to make the decision for them.

 

[comput3rus3r]

Because once you normalize letting people decide to end their own life, eventually someone comes up with reasons why the government gets to make the decision for them.

You hit the nail in the head.

 

[chrisrlink]

if it's legal for pets legal for death row inmates (95% of the time) why is the government so willing to stop the terminally ill from taking a drug that would put them to sleep perminatly ? i'll tell you as long as their still breathing they can collect taxes, pure and simple greed over the well being of the people who are terminally ill

 

[FGFlann]

I agree that it can be abused, just like anything else in life which is why it needs to be verified closely.

Verified by whom? As @Hanafuda pointed out, the process of verification isn't permanent and the prospect of human error and malfeasance is far too high for a person with high regard for the value of life. For that kind of person it is better not to open the door to the possibility at all. The debate over abortion has been raging for decades for the same reason and neither are going to be solved any time soon.

 

[Deleted User]

Verified by whom? As @Hanafuda pointed out, the process of verification isn't permanent and the prospect of human error and malfeasance is far too high for a person with high regard for the value of life. For that kind of person it is better not to open the door to the possibility at all. The debate over abortion has been raging for decades for the same reason and neither are going to be solved any time soon.

The problem is that one can kill himself/herself whether legally or not, but euthanasia would give the person a good farewell.

 

[WarioWaffles]

"yeah your life sucks my medical opinion is just off yourself bro." -Docs from the future.

I get people who are in unending agony but I guarantee if it were allowed innocent people would be cajoled or people who were only in a bad way for a short time will have their lives cut short.

 

[FGFlann]

The problem is that one can kill himself/herself whether legally or not, but euthanasia would give the person a good farewell.

That's a noble intention under the right circumstances, but you have to consider the future and the possible ramifications of your idea. The world is not a nice place, evil exists and anything that can be abused will be abused.

 

[CORE]

All Those that want Depopulation should be 1st to go and what better way than this for them.

 

[FAST6191]

Noctosphere is that you?

Anyway I am going with originally it was some religious edict (places not bothered by the Abramhamic stuff until later in history occasionally went down very different paths, and even when not it is far less of a taboo) and now it is mostly sustained just because.
I generally figure if it is indeed your life then it is yours to end as well, though if you want the medical assistance thing then the whole several medics need to sign off (typically that it is a terminal illness with little chance of any quality of life) plus a cooldown period.

 

[smf]

I agree that it can be abused, just like anything else in life which is why it needs to be verified closely.

Who verifies the people verifying it?

The problem is that one can kill himself/herself whether legally or not, but euthanasia would give the person a good farewell.

How is someone killing you a better farewell than doing it yourself?

 

[FAST6191]

How is someone killing you a better farewell than doing it yourself?

Presumably they would have the time, tools and talent to do it properly -- plenty of people botch suicide and end up rather worse for it. Indeed it is mainly medics (for obvious reasons), chemistry types and those with some of the more interesting industrial tools that have the "best" attempt to success ratio.

 

[smf]

Presumably they would have the time, tools and talent to do it properly -- plenty of people botch suicide and end up rather worse for it. Indeed it is mainly medics (for obvious reasons), chemistry types and those with some of the more interesting industrial tools that have the "best" attempt to success ratio.

Do you understand the difference between Assisted Dying and Euthanasia?

I wonder how it's possible to balance the long term psychological effects on the doctor performing Euthanasia with the patients.

 

[Viri]

I think it should depend on the person's mental well being, and why they're suffering, and want to take their own life.

I don't get how the gov can make a decision of you taking your own life or not, if someone wants to end their own life bad enough, they will end their own life. Hell, most gun deaths in the US are suicide. I guess if you botch a suicide, and the gov finds out, and locks you away, is the only way that I can think of.

 

[FAST6191]

Do you understand the difference between Assisted Dying and Euthanasia?

I wonder how it's possible to balance the long term psychological effects on the doctor performing Euthanasia with the patients.

Same difference as how in some ways I am not supposed to give medication, however in the purest functional sense (though not in the eyes of the law) handing someone some pills and having them swallow them.

Plenty of doctors and nurses already do it. Can be everything from failing to treat a chest infection (oh dear now they have pneumonia) to more active measures, to pushing nice pain meds beyond what is "safe" for someone in that condition and oh dear they entered respiratory failure. As most medics about about minimising suffering it tends not to be so bad.

Verified by whom? As @Hanafuda pointed out, the process of verification isn't permanent and the prospect of human error and malfeasance is far too high for a person with high regard for the value of life. For that kind of person it is better not to open the door to the possibility at all. The debate over abortion has been raging for decades for the same reason and neither are going to be solved any time soon.

The debate about abortion mainly exists in the US, Ireland and possibly Poland. Most other places in the world don't care, and even then it is only part of the US that really cares.

As for verification then we already see fairly robust checks in place where they have it. It varies but you tend to need the signatures of a few doctors on the nature of your disease, and what sort of recovery as well as remaining life's quality of life*. There will often be a cooldown period as well.
Most such people value life but they also value quality of life and that factors into things.

*can be somewhat subjective here but so are people -- "facing the wall" is a term I was taught for when patients (or service users or residents or whatever euphemism people care to use this week) can be seen to give up and will death. On the low end I have seen it for everything from a colostomy bag , diabetes taking a toe (big toe mind you and the person was an avid walker) and first stages of dementia (one never knows the progression but even the worst case estimates were years before it got bad) and often who they were in life has little bearing on what goes here.