[extropy-chat] the question of self-termination

[Damien Broderick]

My earlier post might be regarded as cruelly tactless at this sad moment. 
But the fact and ethics of suicide need to be confronted. But not now, not 
at this terrible moment? Well, if we scoff at the religious for their 
death-bed and graveside evasions we dare not go into denial mode ourselves 
over this aspect of our unyielding realities of life and death. And while 
we hope to make death yield, still there will be those who chose it (in 
whatever remediable or persuadable state of mind we will never know). For a 
list as adamantly wedded to individual choice as this one, suicide remains 
what Albert Camus called it more than 60 years ago in the opening of Le 
Mythe de Sisyphe: "There is only one really serious philosophical problem, 
and that is suicide."

"A world which can be explained, even through bad reasoning, is a familiar 
one. On the other hand, in a world suddenly devoid of illusion and light, 
man feels like a stranger."

His answer?

"The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. 
We have to imagine Sisyphus happy."

Sometimes, though, Sisyphus finds the task unendurable.

What can we do to help him? As I said to a friend last night: What we need 
are healthy memes, satisfying work, and lots of hugs. Less bullshit and as 
much love as we can manage.

Damien Broderick