:::
I wrote this papper for a writing class, and for
those of you who go to N.H.S., it's for Ms. Michael. Also, parts of it
were just kind of thrown together, but I'd appreciate it if you tell me
what you think of it anyway. Enjoy!
Euthanasia is, essentially, mercy-killing. Thought of as salvation or slaying, this phenomenon has many pros as well as cons, as well as a strong following for both sides of the argument. This practice has come to public attention relatively recently with the emergence of “assisted suicides”, a procedure in which a doctor helps a patient to kill themselves as quickly and painlessly as possible. Culturally, too, assisted suicide is seen, ranging from the Japanese Seppuku to ritualistic Chinese suicide. Overall, I think that Euthanasia is an acceptable method of death.
There are instances in which people are in such great pain that they would rather die than face it. This is manifested especially on the battle field, with reports of those so horrifically wounded that they want and are taken out of their misery quickly, a speedy end to an alternatively slow and agonizing death. If a bloody torso were to beg you to shoot it, wouldn’t you? Another example of pain-related euthanasia can be seen regarding burn patients, who sometimes give do not resuscitate orders, among other things, preventing doctors from intervening in an otherwise preventable death, inadvertently leading to a euthanasia-like passing away. In these situations of extreme bodily harm, victims cannot simply heal up and walk away. Recovery can take months of agonizing pain, and once the outer body has healed the soul can be still tainted by memories, thoughts not easily forgotten in the now twisted and ostracized shell that used to be a functioning person. Personally, I would rather die than be stuck with that body; if there is a heaven, or even if there isn’t, I’d rather pass on to the next “life” than live that unhappily.
Even if one is not in very much physical pain, they should still be able to end their own lives. Not that anyone in a “healthy” state of mind would want to die; it’s more an argument of principle. Death is just as much a part of life as living is, and nobody should have the authority to say when and how someone else is going to die any more than a single person should have the power to order another’s abortion. If an old widow, childless, with all of her close friends dead and she herself in advanced stages of arthritis and cancer goes to a doctor and asks to have an assisted suicide, why not go through with the procedure? Should doctors be able to deny a painless and wanted death just because they don’t think assisted suicide’s the way things are supposed to be? If you want to die, you’re most likely trying to escape from something, and in the case of an old diseased unloved woman, the provocation for the flight is likely a hollowed out life filled only with memories and grief. She’s lived a full life, but now it’s empty and sad, and she wants to die. Why pain the woman more by making her continue living? Assisted suicides and euthanasia are also a lot easier on the family of the deceased; it’s a lot less vivid than a self inflicted shotgun blast to the head or a knife to the heart, leaving a more peaceful atmosphere surrounding the last hours of the life of the defunct.
Speaking about opinions, different cultures around the world have different views on euthanasia. A few hundred years ago, when the Samurai still were prominent in Japan, honor and pride were very, very important. If, on or off the battlefield, a Samurai managed to dishonor or disgrace himself, his country or his family, he would perform Seppuku, also known as Hara-Kiri. What he would do is ritualistically slice open his stomach in two cuts. Then, a “second”, usually a trusted friend, would cut his throat. Because the masochistic pain inflicted by the samurai was so great, the second’s job was to finally kill the samurai, an act designated to take the warrior out of his pain. Unlike in our culture this was, and still is, thought to be a very honorable way to die, and usually more than makes up for one’s sins. It still happens now, albeit very rarely. It just goes to show you that people’s concepts of death are very different; a similar example of this assisted suicide used to be practiced in China, and was common in the rest of Asia, as well.
Different cultures view death in very unlike ways. I think that euthanasia and assisted suicide are not bad things. They let those who wish to end their lives do so with a minimum of pain and time, and it is considered an honorable thing in some cultures. To be able to die when you want and how you want should be respected and allowed, and the best way to do that is through euthanasia.
Euthanasia is, essentially, mercy-killing. Thought of as salvation or slaying, this phenomenon has many pros as well as cons, as well as a strong following for both sides of the argument. This practice has come to public attention relatively recently with the emergence of “assisted suicides”, a procedure in which a doctor helps a patient to kill themselves as quickly and painlessly as possible. Culturally, too, assisted suicide is seen, ranging from the Japanese Seppuku to ritualistic Chinese suicide. Overall, I think that Euthanasia is an acceptable method of death.
There are instances in which people are in such great pain that they would rather die than face it. This is manifested especially on the battle field, with reports of those so horrifically wounded that they want and are taken out of their misery quickly, a speedy end to an alternatively slow and agonizing death. If a bloody torso were to beg you to shoot it, wouldn’t you? Another example of pain-related euthanasia can be seen regarding burn patients, who sometimes give do not resuscitate orders, among other things, preventing doctors from intervening in an otherwise preventable death, inadvertently leading to a euthanasia-like passing away. In these situations of extreme bodily harm, victims cannot simply heal up and walk away. Recovery can take months of agonizing pain, and once the outer body has healed the soul can be still tainted by memories, thoughts not easily forgotten in the now twisted and ostracized shell that used to be a functioning person. Personally, I would rather die than be stuck with that body; if there is a heaven, or even if there isn’t, I’d rather pass on to the next “life” than live that unhappily.
Even if one is not in very much physical pain, they should still be able to end their own lives. Not that anyone in a “healthy” state of mind would want to die; it’s more an argument of principle. Death is just as much a part of life as living is, and nobody should have the authority to say when and how someone else is going to die any more than a single person should have the power to order another’s abortion. If an old widow, childless, with all of her close friends dead and she herself in advanced stages of arthritis and cancer goes to a doctor and asks to have an assisted suicide, why not go through with the procedure? Should doctors be able to deny a painless and wanted death just because they don’t think assisted suicide’s the way things are supposed to be? If you want to die, you’re most likely trying to escape from something, and in the case of an old diseased unloved woman, the provocation for the flight is likely a hollowed out life filled only with memories and grief. She’s lived a full life, but now it’s empty and sad, and she wants to die. Why pain the woman more by making her continue living? Assisted suicides and euthanasia are also a lot easier on the family of the deceased; it’s a lot less vivid than a self inflicted shotgun blast to the head or a knife to the heart, leaving a more peaceful atmosphere surrounding the last hours of the life of the defunct.
Speaking about opinions, different cultures around the world have different views on euthanasia. A few hundred years ago, when the Samurai still were prominent in Japan, honor and pride were very, very important. If, on or off the battlefield, a Samurai managed to dishonor or disgrace himself, his country or his family, he would perform Seppuku, also known as Hara-Kiri. What he would do is ritualistically slice open his stomach in two cuts. Then, a “second”, usually a trusted friend, would cut his throat. Because the masochistic pain inflicted by the samurai was so great, the second’s job was to finally kill the samurai, an act designated to take the warrior out of his pain. Unlike in our culture this was, and still is, thought to be a very honorable way to die, and usually more than makes up for one’s sins. It still happens now, albeit very rarely. It just goes to show you that people’s concepts of death are very different; a similar example of this assisted suicide used to be practiced in China, and was common in the rest of Asia, as well.
Different cultures view death in very unlike ways. I think that euthanasia and assisted suicide are not bad things. They let those who wish to end their lives do so with a minimum of pain and time, and it is considered an honorable thing in some cultures. To be able to die when you want and how you want should be respected and allowed, and the best way to do that is through euthanasia.