The voluntary euthanasia debate in OZ - very sad

[Grunk]

The departure of Australia’s oldest scientist from Perth to Switzerland, where he intends to end his life, has today sparked a heated debate about voluntary euthanasia.

Edith Cowan University honorary research associate David Goodall, who is 104 years old, said his final goodbyes to family in Australia at Perth Airport yesterday before he left for Basel.

The ecologist, who was wearing a top labelled with the words ‘ageing disgracefully’ at the airport, plans to end his life at a voluntary euthanasia organisation upon arrival in the European city.

Philip Nitschke, the founder of voluntary euthanasia advocacy group Exit International, said Professor Goodall “simply wants the right to have a peaceful death”.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2...hanasia-debate-after-flying-perth-switzerland

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

I don't think it's sad. He lived 104 years. He wants to go away. Let him do it.
I wouldn't do it in his situation because he seems to be very lucid, I'd keep working spreading my centenarian wisdom. However, if I ever get diagnosed with dementia I will hang myself like in the old days, fuck that assisted suicide bullshit.

 

[squeezewax]

I have no problem with voluntary euthanasia, i think it's a good thing. I have chronic pain all day long which has been getting worse over the years. Sometime in the future i imagine it will become unbearable for me. Being able to end my life like this would be something i'd welcome.

 

[7437]

Voluntary euthanasia is fine in some situations. People with chronic medical issues like this guy, sure. My grandfather made the same decision last year, we all understood.

That is very different from just helping people off themselves though. It needs to be very strictly regulated to not be available to people who just have mental illnesses.

 

[ShinkanPo]

I want to exit too someday but I am not qualified

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

I want to exit too someday but I am not qualified

Exit? You will never exit

 

[ShinkanPo]

Exit? You will never exit

#NotMyPresident...


Ill be like..

 

[Codpiece]

I want to exit too someday but I am not qualified

But we love you....

 

[ShinkanPo]

But we love you....

And we love you too.

 

[Codpiece]

And we love you too.

That’s very sweet but I don’t contribute much here. It’s better for me to read and learn something than write and look like a fool.


But you’re still tops.

 

[HockeyBjj]

Voluntary euthanasia is fine in some situations. People with chronic medical issues like this guy, sure. My grandfather made the same decision last year, we all understood.

That is very different from just helping people off themselves though. It needs to be very strictly regulated to not be available to people who just have mental illnesses.

This.

 

[Neph]

Voluntary euthanasia is fine in some situations. People with chronic medical issues like this guy, sure. My grandfather made the same decision last year, we all understood.

That is very different from just helping people off themselves though. It needs to be very strictly regulated to not be available to people who just have mental illnesses.

I'm going to roll out my controversial opinion that is I'm okay for people to do it with mental illnesses however a lot of criteria needs to apply. Some sort of waiting period is required to limit the possibility of a spontaneous decision. Other criteria should be set by people with a lot more expertise than me.

My reasoning? Why not, really, is my reason. It's their body, their happiness, their choice. It isn't mine to make. If they want to end their life in a 'safe' and suffer-free way I don't see why my opinion on them makes any difference.

There are some people with Somatic Symptom Disorder, a type of mental illness that manifests as one or more bodily symptoms including pain. What if their mind is feeling pain even though their body is not. It's a mental disorder and if incurable it's just as bad as anything else.

I even go so far as to include depression. If you have long term depression (again - waiting period applies - it can't be a spontaneous decision) lasting months or years and it is incurable then why should we decide you have to live. Life is about happiness. If after all the treatment you still cannot feel happy, then I have no issue whatsoever with your decision. Your choice, your body, let's just make sure all the treatment and education and options are afforded first.

 

[oleDirtyBast4rd]

He likely traded his social life for his lifes work. I know nothing about this guy, but can't imagine somebody with a caring social circle would want to kill themselves. Was he in a lot of pain or something?

 

[Darth_Inv1ctu5]

I don't think it's sad. He lived 104 years. He wants to go away. Let him do it.
I wouldn't do it in his situation because he seems to be very lucid, I'd keep working spreading my centenarian wisdom. However, if I ever get diagnosed with dementia I will hang myself like in the old days, fuck that assisted suicide bullshit.

Hunter S. Thompson special for me. I told my wife already, she thinks I'm kidding. Nope. I'll be no burden to anyone - get my affairs in order, make sure whatever assets I've got are used to take care of my family, then off to the woods I go.

I understand the ethical discussion around this topic but I don't think it's that complicated - establish sanity and lucidity, have people sign a document with a witness, boom, I'm a pickle.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

He likely traded his social life for his lifes work. I know nothing about this guy, but can't imagine somebody with a caring social circle would want to kill themselves. Was he in a lot of pain or something?

I think the purpose is to end it before it gets too uncomfortable.
Why not end your life on a happy note, rather than waiting until it sucks again?

 

[Neph]

He likely traded his social life for his lifes work. I know nothing about this guy, but can't imagine somebody with a caring social circle would want to kill themselves. Was he in a lot of pain or something?

At 104 he is of very poor health where everything basically sucks. Also at 104 you are pretty much the last of all of your friends, even your children might well be dead, it's a very very lonely existence.

Drawn-out goodbye an 'unsatisfactory' end
In recent years the renowned academic's physical condition has continued to deteriorate, along with his quality of life.

He said he appreciated the public's interest in his plight and hoped it would spark more discussion about the issue of voluntary euthanasia.

"I would like them to understand it," he said.

"I am 104 years old so I haven't got much time left anyway.

"I might as well not have (my health) getting worse and worse, making me unhappy as it goes."

Dr Goodall said he had the support of his family, with whom he'd had frank conversations about his decision.

"I'm saying farewell all the time," he said.

"They realise how unsatisfactory my life here is, unsatisfactory in almost every respect. The sooner it comes to an end the better."

Dr Goodall has been a member of Exit International for 20 years.

On his 104th birthday last month, he used the occasion to declare he would spend the rest of his days campaigning for voluntary assisted dying to be legalised in Western Australia.

 

[oleDirtyBast4rd]

I think the purpose is to end it before it gets too uncomfortable.
Why not end your life on a happy note, rather than waiting until it sucks again?

Life is full of discomfort. Outside of extreme cases (being tortured/ captured, Rabies, hardcore dimentia, etc.) I don't see how the suffering could be worth death. It seems like an admission you have no purpose

 

[PrinceOfPain]

It seems like an admission you have no purpose

Well, I think that goes without saying.

 

[oleDirtyBast4rd]

Dr Goodall has been a member of Exit International for 20 years.

ah the truth starts to come out. so he spent the last 20 years supporting assisted suicide and now wants to do it himself.

 

[Neph]

ah the truth starts to come out. so he spent the last 20 years supporting assisted suicide and now wants to do it himself.

I love it how you say 'the truth starts to come out' as if there was even a secret conspiracy.