Suicide Saturday

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I love what the age of almost complete moral relativism we live in. Posit: I should kill myself. Agree or disagree?

I'll bet a dollar you said disagree (unless you know me, in which case you're probably composing your email offering useful suggestions). If anyone you knew suggested that they ought to kill themselves, would you think that's a viable option?

If you have even a shred of religion, no way do you support it. If you have bought into even a percentage of the ethics of our society, no way do you support it. If you've absorbed your parent's overwhelming concern for your safety, your gut reaction is that no one should die. All the defaults of our lives reinforce the sanctity of life.

Why are people, then, so reluctant to express their feelings on a topic?

I think it is a more general point, but I'm training on suicide today. Here's the quiz we're working our way through, one question at a painful time:

Strongly Agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly Disagree

1. Suicide is wrong.

2. Suicide is a sin.

3. Suicide is irrational.

4. Suicide is sometimes justifiable.

5. A person who commits suicide is being selfish.

6. I must have failed if a person I am helping commits suicide.

7. Suicide, death and related topics should not be discussed with youths.

8. I would be ashamed if a member of my family committed suicide.

Near as I can tell, people are flat out lying when they are answering these questions. In fairness, they have to. If you don't present a well-balanced personality in these trainings, they don't let you on the phones, and you've wasted two months of your life in training that you'll never be allowed to use. You can disclose, but don't disclose too much or too quickly.

Everything feels like it is being viewed with an amazingly level of scrutiny. Here, I'll disclose something: I name working files on my PCs killme1.doc, killme.txt, killme3.xls, and so forth, to make for easy identification and deleting. I would never dare make mention of that fact at the Crisis Clinic. We'd flip. We're trained freak-out officers.

Still and all, though, wouldn't it be nice to see some honest answers to the questions above? Maybe a third of the class said that suicide was wrong. Only 5% of the class said that suicide was a sin. C'mon! Sure, the first question was an expression of personal belief, but this second is just asking you to report on your religion's doctrine. Stricture against suicide is part of just about every religion. Am I really supposed to believe that only one in twenty people in this class have any kind of religion in their lives?

And then on and on. Only one person was willing to go on the record that they thought suicide was irrational. But then ten people said that suicide was not sometimes justifiable. How did the nine people who think that suicide is never the right option manage to think that there could be rational suicides?

Or maybe we have moved so far into moral ambivalence that this entire class of twenty-five really does support your right to kill yourself if you truly want to.

And it's not just suicide morality, of course. Relative morality seems to be particularly keen here in the Northwest. You got fired from your job because you're incompetent? That's a shame, what are you going to do next? You've been lying to everyone because you want to be someone different? Well, I can understand that. Cheated on your income tax? Heck, everyone does that!

"Randall Jones was arrested today for embezzling three million dollars from Washington State elderly in a mail-order scam. Mr. Jones stated that he was just doing what he needed to try and be happy. He regrets being caught, and seems legitimately apologetic if any old people were inconvenienced by his activities. In our exclusive interview, he asked Channel Six to convey his gratitude for five years of 'big fun'. Ahhhh… Isn't that sweet? Best of luck, Mr. Jones, sorry to hear about your legal troubles! If you'd like to help Mr. Jones, you can send contributions to his defense fund care of Washington Mutual or call this station for more details."

I'm not saying that I'm going to move to the bible belt or anything in order to get hooked into a more judgmental crowd. I have to admit that I like our morally permissive society. It fits well with my personal understanding of life. I just wonder what's happening under the surface.

Because it just seems incredible to think that everyone really is as permissive as me. Is it a kind of passive-aggressive mechanism? Outwardly we're all fine and friendly, but the second you transgress a boundary or belief that you weren't informed of, you're out the door.

Funny world.