Suicide in Western Society

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that the death of a loved one is often the most tragic experience of a lifetime, and it touches almost everyone. The writer points out that suicide occupies a unique place in our conception of death. In some cultures, it is a death with honor, and yet in western society it is stigmatized. In this paper, the writer examines the current arguments against suicide. The writer looks at the faults and strengths of such arguments and their implications for the grief of suicide survivors. The writer concludes that it cannot rationally or logically be said that suicide is wrong in all instances. Yet, the writer points out that moral and religious leaders continue to support an absolute prohibition of suicide. It is still against the law except for certain cases in certain states. The writer maintains that it is this strict moral taboo that makes it so hard for survivors to deal with their loss.

From the Paper:

"Suicide is considered an unmitigated evil in almost every situation, barring the terminally ill. Suicide is variously seen as a sin against God, a waste of a life, a loser's way out of the hardships of life, an act of cowardice, or a symptom of madness. The rare cases in which it is seen as acceptable are cases where the person is suffering from a terrible and incurable disease and where suicide would end otherwise unremitting pain. Even so, some condemn suicide in any situation, and the prevailing attitude is one where life should be preserved in spite of a person's wish to die.
"Recently, suicide has come to be viewed as a symptom of a disease or of something beyond a person's control. Therefore the person is not at fault because, although it appears voluntary, they really couldn't have chosen anything else. This person is a victim, and it is the role of society to protect them from themselves."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Battin, Margaret Pabst. Ethical Issues in Suicide. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1995.
• Donnelly, John. Suicide: Right or Wrong? New York: Prometheus Books, 1990.
• Mishara, Brian L. The Impact of Suicide. New York: Springer, 1995.
• Rando, Therese A. Grief, Dying, and Death. Illinois: Research Press Company, 1984.
• Welu, Thomas C. "Pathological Bereavement: A Plan For Its Prevention." Bereavement: Its Psychosocial Aspects. New York: Columbia University Press, 1975.

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