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Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

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Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#581

Post by rowanG077 »

dns_snek wrote: post #297
sillyfluke wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The parent described someone who went above and beyond the norm of other members in his community in his constant positive interaction with his neighbors, collegues, and former students. It is highly likely this kind of person would give a considerable shit if he knew he would become a nightmare for the same community. There may be others reading in the thread who also can relate to the personality of the teacher and…

There's a difference between "I don't want the disease because I don't want to become a menace to others" (what you're saying) and "I don't want the disease because it would make me lose social status" (what the original commenter said).

To me both those things are basically the same.

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#582

Post by randcraw »

airbreather wrote: post #304

I saw someone interviewed who had set the criteria of being able to enjoy some ice cream with his children and grandchildren at the regular family dinner on Sunday late afternoons. He said that alone made life worth living, for him and them, but once any deteriorating conditions rendered him permanently unable to participate in this weekly activity then he felt it was time to go. Maybe having a pre-set condition like…

I think this is a fair measure of any life -- are there enough positives to offset the negatives? And that includes the cost (and the benefit) of your suicide on others. No one but you should be able to make that call. All that remains then, legally, is to ensure you are well informed about the de/merits of your choice and sane enough to make the call.

Of course, even if you lack legal permission, suicide doesn't strictly _require_ legal or medical assistance. An autonomous exit is always an option, though generally less painless than assisted.

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#583

Post by mock-possum »

Der_Einzige wrote: post #574
mock-possum wrote: post #341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always think of that scene from Donnie Darko - where he says when his dog got sick, she went to hide under the porch. “To die?” His therapist prompts him. “To be alone ” he corrects her pointedly. [0] That’s kind of what I want when I die too - I don’t think I want to be around other people when it happens. I want to have my final moments to face death on my own, without feeling like I have to perform for other peo…

Wow I’m the total opposite. I’m very annoyed to be around others most of the time, but upon dying I can’t imagine doing it alone or without the help of loved ones. A lot of motivation to be risk averse with my physical body in this life comes from a desire to make it to old age. Furthermore, I instantly understood why having children was good when I realized that they are your insurance that you’ll (usually) have som…

Honestly that strikes me as a pretty fucked up and self-serving reason to have children.

You should have kids because you want to create new life, and support them as they become the best humans that they can be - not because you’re scared of dying alone.

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#584

Post by Der_Einzige »

mock-possum wrote: post #583
Der_Einzige wrote: post #574

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow I’m the total opposite. I’m very annoyed to be around others most of the time, but upon dying I can’t imagine doing it alone or without the help of loved ones. A lot of motivation to be risk averse with my physical body in this life comes from a desire to make it to old age. Furthermore, I instantly understood why having children was good when I realized that they are your insurance that you’ll (usually) have som…

Honestly that strikes me as a pretty fucked up and self-serving reason to have children. You should have kids because you want to create new life, and support them as they become the best humans that they can be - not because you’re scared of dying alone.

Your worldview is even worse. At least I'm honest in my egoism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Never_to_Have_Been

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benatar%27s_asymmetry_argument

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_Human_Extinction_Mov...

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#585

Post by subjectivationx »

joomla199 wrote: post #435
xtracto wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had read so many raves about that book, and heard the author got a Nobel prize for his ideas, so I started reading it. I just could not digest it. I understood the words but I couldn't make whatever message he was trying to convey... it felt too "dense" for me. Maybe im just stupid, but I could not get past I think the first two chapters.

It’s largely a popsci book for poseurs. To wit: most of these people “into economics” haven’t read a word of Smith or Keynes. It’s best use is to be announced your favorite book among undistinguished company. Some people need such books. Such as those from Smith and Keynes.

I suffered through the book and I just think it is a rather boring writing style.

The poseur part is that it doesn't matter if you know what is in the book or not. That is actually the interesting part of the book to me but also why it is largely an exercise in futility.

I would assume someone who says it is their favorite book just has not read that many non-fiction books.

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#586

Post by Noaidi »

jncfhnb wrote: post #575
Noaidi wrote: post #502

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The suffering that many people experience is profound. These people don’t have a more profound experience of joy than those whose lives are chill. And the happy lives of people who haven’t suffered are not better because the sufferers have felt worse. Some people have great suffering. Some people have small suffering. But the suffering is the same, and the source is the same. You don’t need great suffering to under…

Or maybe your brother was guilted into suffering because you injected a greater fear into his life and your faith is fiction. Maybe your faith isn’t fiction but suicide is ok and Jesus tells him it was completely unnecessary to oppose his own reasoning at the pearly gates (or whatever your faith is). There is no clear answer that extending life is for the best. Not unlike a painful, fruitless intubation that has no c…

I don’t know why you’re bringing up Jesus, I’m not a Christian, and I don’t have faith in Jesus or any religion.

But are you saying since my brother was suffering he should’ve died by suicide?

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#587

Post by Noaidi »

raw_anon_1111 wrote: post #578
Noaidi wrote: post #557

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being selfish is being overly concerned with one’s self. He took his own life without regards to the consequence how anyone else would see it. He was also overly concerned with his self image as he stated in his letter. And he’s taken something, he’s taking his own life. Which I do not believe it was his to take.

How is own life not his to take?

Does he own his life? How can a thing own itself? Did he obtain this life or was his life giving to him by his parents? If he was created by his parents do his parents own his life?

Are we even sure that our life ends when we die? I’ve had to have someone come back and tell me one way or the other.

I think we are so certain of things that once you really start thinking about them that certain you can disappear quickly.

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#588

Post by Noaidi »

Der_Einzige wrote: post #572
Noaidi wrote: post #507

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Have you ever cared for someone with late stage Alzheimer or other forms of severe dementia? Yes. Did I say that it was easy? Did I say that the spiritual way through all this was just pretending like everything is OK? No, it’s a very difficult process. Avoiding suffering is impossible. Choosing to die to avoid suffering does not guarantee non-suffering. Only understanding suffering and where it originates can get…

“Choosing to die to avoid suffering does not guarantee non-suffering.” Either it does or you’re claiming to be religious and implying you know for sure what happens after we die.

I am not stating either the above. I am only stating I don’t know what happens after we die. So to me dying is not a guarantee of some relief of my suffering. It’s just a logical statement. There’s no religion behind it.

Do you know what happens after we die? If you do, can you tell me how you know it?

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#589

Post by Noaidi »

lazyasciiart wrote: post #528
Noaidi wrote: post #506

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A burden is a heavy load. The stronger you are the less things are a burden to you. In this case, if you are more spiritually strong you are, the fewer burdens you will have.

Spiritual strength is the ability to be a smug jerk to others because you think you’re better than them. It certainly is a coping mechanism for some people, but it’s hardly one that should be encouraged.

I’ve been nothing but nice on this comment thread. If you disagree with me but can’t gather the words to explain yourself It’s no reason to call me a name for your lack of vocabulary or understanding.

Re: Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

#590

Post by dang »

xpe wrote: post #130
jeffwass wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The sheer irony of your unwarranted pedantic critique of the usage of “next” is that all HN threaded comments, including yours, have a “next” link in their headers which clearly does NOT refer to unwritten future comments. Not sure why I bothered responding to a troll.

[flagged]

Would you please stop perpetuating flamewars and taking HN threads on generic tangents? You've been doing this a ton lately, it's not what this site is for, and the effects your posts have been having on the threads is regrettable.

Also, please stop crossing into name-calling and personal attack, as you did here. jeffwass shouldn't have referred to you as "a troll" but there's no question that your posts have been having trollish effects in the threads, and this is actually what matters (see https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&sor...).

Here are another couple of recent examples: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45522090, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45522043. We need you to stop posting like this.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

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