h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

First of all, I really don't think suicide is a topic to joke about. While you are trying for well-crafted irony and cynicism, I read your tone as being callous and flippant.

Second, I think your view on suicide is a bit short-sighted. It seems you are stereotyping all suicides as resulting from stupidity and an inability to cope. I would submit that there are limits that every rational, intelligent person has. When these limits are passed, suicide might seem a reasonable solution for almost anyone.

I can understand your lack of sympathy for a rich teen whe feels the normal angst of youth and chooses to stop living because life is boring. But is a young teen who has been systematically raped and beaten by her father similarly stupid for wanting to end her torture and shame? Should her inability to cope be similarly mocked?

I understand your sense of irony here. And I agree that people who attempt suicide should not then be prosecuted by the law. However, suicide attempts are sometimes a cry for help by someone whose plight would otherwise be ignored. It is sad that some people have no better recourse. It is not funny.

Finally, I feel any entry on suicide should include a basic definition of what it is, and some statistics on how common it is. Of course, that's just my opinion.

I've had to deal with sucidal people on occasion. I don't think most of them really want to do it. After all, it's technically all that difficult to do. Any reasonably intelligent person should be able to get it in two tries (There are some common mistakes that people make, but I won't go into that).

Personally, I don't see how it is any of the government's business. In Georgia, we have no criminal code against suicide (the only criminal code we have regarding suicide is for assisted suicde). If you need help, there are poeple to call, and they can help you find treatment programs. However, the police often get dragged into the situation.

As a police officer, I find the whole deal kind of annoying. People will cry out to help, but when we arrive to help along with the ambulance crews, they usually deny saying anything. Or, they may not want to go. I had one lady who tried to suicide-by-cop. She held a gun at her neck for 45 minutes while I had her at gun point (Boy were my arms tired). She eventually passed out, and was taken to the hospital. Some genius released her and she overdosed on pills the next week.

There must be an easier way.

Jason

a couple of things:

first of all, All you people need to CALM DOWN. and not read so deeply into my cynical tirades.

secondly, it was funny many people said so.

Thank you for your time.

-Ice

Reviewing the comments attached to this page, I found two people who thought the entry was funny, three who disagreed with the general premise, and one who had mixed feelings. I would submit that this entry is only funny if you don't know anybody who has attempted to commit suicide (or succeeded at it).

Nobody has yelled at you or called you names, as far as I can tell. And it isn't that we're attacking your writing style. Your sense of humor shows a lot of potential, in my opinion. We simply think the topic isn't a very funny one. I can only guess that you're telling us to CALM DOWN because you don't like the criticism.

Actualy the "Calm down" was also a type of joke. I understand where you all are coming from and I respect that. So please accept my appoligies if I came off wrong in that last entry. I'm unfortunatly leaving back to the army again tommorrow and wont be able to post anymore for a while but please use my forum for any type of conversation that stems forth from this.

Thanks, Iceraven. I misinterpreted your intentions with that remark, I suppose. Part of the difficulty of the internet is that we can't see the facial expressions that go with our statements.

Good luck in your travels, then. I wish you a safe trip and return.