What makes a life worth living or to pull the ripcord - let's talk about death and our dying

When and why a person perceives their life as bearable or even successful, or when and why one would rather want to be dead, cannot generally defined or is  generally applicable or universally valid and true for each and everyone - the answer is unique - and that makes it complicate - but anyway decisions about dead or alive are and should be never easy.

There are people, who have already killed themselves - who in the opinion of most other people, did not have the slightest reason for it - while on the other hand many seriously ill and severely disabled people fight tenaciously for their lives or for a better quality of life. 

Obviously, whether a life is worth living depends not only on external, universal, or objective factors - not only I am a firm believer and fighter for individual attitudes, behavior and thinking how someone want to live their life but as well when they want to end it / pull the ripcord.

Anyone whoever thought about themself, about their life, all good and bad sides, about joys and sorrows and came after careful consideration that they would like to commit suicide - Why should another person have the rights to overrule it or deny it?  These people are coming to these consideration and conclusions because they want to prevent themself before a difficult fate - which will enslaved them and they are at the mercy of others. Why shouldn't we / why can't we give humans the same rights and mercy which we give our suffering horses, dogs, cats and other animal friends to end suffering and helping them to end of life?  I said that there must not be people who has the rights to overrule it or deny such a serious decision. But people who are asked to help the suicide must have the right to ask for the why not longer living and why the suicide want it - asking yes but not questioning!

Every person has their own needs, wishes and expectations. And all of these needs are vary in the course of a lifetime of a person. And even we all have basic needs - even these basic needs are varying. For example, almost all people cannot endure hunger and thirst, excessive cold or heat, overexertion, sleep deprivation, torture and other acts of violence in the long run without despair, some people can evidently live happily and contentedly despite serious illnesses and disabilities and without sex. Apparently, it depends very much on whether you pay attention to and appreciate the positive things that you can still experience even with severe physical limitations, or whether you ignore it and are fixated on those wishes that are due to circumstances such as illness, disability, advanced age, etc. . are not (no longer) feasible.

Psychological needs also differ considerably from person to person - for instance ... the desire for security and predictability on the one hand and the desire for freedom and adventure on the other hand all these aspects depend so much on the individual understanding and value something.     

This time I am closing my article by quoting Desmond Tutu - He wrote 2014, 7 year before he sadly died, the following words in an essay ,,,

Dying is part of life. 

We have to die. The Earth cannot sustain us and the millions of people that came before us. We have to make way for those who are yet to be born. And since dying is part of life, talking about it shouldn't be taboo. People should die a decent death. 

This takes me to the question of what does it mean to be alive. What constitutes quality of life and dignity when dying? These are big, important questions. I have come to realize that I do not want my life to be prolonged artificially. I think when you need machines to help you breathe, then you have to ask questions about the quality of life being experienced and about the way money is being spent. This may be hard for some people to consider.

It is important for all of us to talk about death and our dying. Death can come to us at any age. The clearer we are about our end-of-life preferences, the easier it will be for our loved ones and our doctors. I am coming to understand the importance of having a living will or advance directive, as some people call it. I do not want artificial feeding or to be on an artificial breathing machine – I don't want people to do their damnedest to keep me alive.

In this context you might be interested to read this article as well ...

We should give dying people the right to leave this world with dignity - Desmond Tutu

And further related articles in this context ...

Wer darf Sterbehilfe beanspruchen?

To where does my life extend, and where does the night begin?

Bis wohin reicht mein Leben, und wo beginnt die Nacht

What kind of life is dignified? What is dying with dignity?