Monday, January 5, 2009
Life Our National Parks
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Looking for a nice place to die?
This form of suicide is totally acceptable. No respect should be offered to those who jump from bridges in the middle of rush hour or out of the tops of towers in the middle of downtown. But those who walk into national parks, find peaceful spots, and dissolve into nature—these types deserve our sorrow. Sometimes being can be unbearable.
1
"This form of suicide is totally acceptable."
So, no fence then?
So, no fence then?
2
That's what my dad did. And the officer who found him said it was the most peaceful suicide he'd ever attended.
3
Still too showy - why not walk off into the real wilderness, or at least a Nat'l park that's not crawling with tourists and where you're likely to be found? I bet the 2700 feet down into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison would be a pretty awesome 13 seconds. And unlike the Grand Canyon, you'd have a pretty good shot at making it the whole way down.
4
Kill yourself!
5
"This form of suicide is totally acceptable."
Charles you are an idiot. It is hard to imagine you saying something more stupid than this for the rest of the year.
Charles you are an idiot. It is hard to imagine you saying something more stupid than this for the rest of the year.
6
You know Charles, the people who jump into rush hour traffic tend to be extremely mentally ill. I doubt that their last thoughts have anything to do with whether or not their choice of suicide method/location is beautiful enough for critique. I find all suicides, regardless of the method, very sorrowful, and I think you should be ashamed of yourself.
7
Agreed, Chuck.
Agreed.
As a mental health professional, there are certain choices I just can't seem to justify arguing with.
Agreed.
As a mental health professional, there are certain choices I just can't seem to justify arguing with.
8
As long as the method you choose doesn't involve a search-and-rescue attempt that puts others at risk.
9
Making a spectacle of your death is pretty obnoxious, but walking of into the woods and never coming out, that sounds pretty sweet to me.
Suicide has a bum rap in our culture.
Suicide has a bum rap in our culture.
10
This is morbid, but my idea for a true "Into the Wild" suicide has been to walk deep into a National Forest for several days, until you're pretty hungry and miserable, then climb 30-40 feet up a tree and chain yourself to it. Bring the key along (in case you need to readjust), but once you're locked up good and tight, drop it. It's unlikely that anyone would find your body for a really long time.
Seems like this could make an interesting short story or film.
Seems like this could make an interesting short story or film.
11
As long as the person made sure that they'd eventually be found, then I'm okay with it. You wouldn't want family/friends wondering if you were dead or missing or what forever.
Oh, and do it in a spot where tourists are unlikely to stumble over you. The last thing someone wants to do on vacation is hang around the police station giving a statement.
Oh, and do it in a spot where tourists are unlikely to stumble over you. The last thing someone wants to do on vacation is hang around the police station giving a statement.
12
#3: Because most people who commit suicide are in a temporary, immediate major crisis. That's why there are 30 suicides per year on the Golden Gate Bridge, 6 suicides per year on the dumb Aurora Bridge, and only 2 suicides per year at the freaking Grand Canyon (which is far away from most people's homes).
Of over 500 people saved from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, 94% were either still alive or died naturally years later (PDF).
At the Prince Edward Viaduct bridge in Toronto, there were about 15 suicides per year until a barrier was built in 2003. Since then, there have been zero suicides at the bridge and the suicides have not "moved" to another location; they just stopped happening.
If someone is truly committed to killing themselves, they will do it and nobody can stop them. If someone has a temporary crisis, we should do everything we can to stop making suicide an easy impulsive public act.
Here's a list of famous people who have attempted suicide but were saved and recovered -- everyone from Halle Barry and Drew Barrymore to Ken Griffey and Mike Wallace.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archive…
Of over 500 people saved from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, 94% were either still alive or died naturally years later (PDF).
At the Prince Edward Viaduct bridge in Toronto, there were about 15 suicides per year until a barrier was built in 2003. Since then, there have been zero suicides at the bridge and the suicides have not "moved" to another location; they just stopped happening.
If someone is truly committed to killing themselves, they will do it and nobody can stop them. If someone has a temporary crisis, we should do everything we can to stop making suicide an easy impulsive public act.
Here's a list of famous people who have attempted suicide but were saved and recovered -- everyone from Halle Barry and Drew Barrymore to Ken Griffey and Mike Wallace.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archive…
13
i doubt you would make it up that tree uncle vinny, you would go nuts first. i would prefer to go to a nice beach facing the ocean and just start swimming, see how far you can get. but that would only be in the case of a terminal illness, which is the only time i can see suicide being 'acceptable'.
suicide might be more considerate if done in the middle of no where, but it's still selfish and lame, or in the case of those too crazy to know what their doing, tragic.
suicide might be more considerate if done in the middle of no where, but it's still selfish and lame, or in the case of those too crazy to know what their doing, tragic.
14
I am currently reading a true story called "The Last Season" by Eric Blehm. At the point I am now at in the story, a well-loved, but somewhat troubled park ranger is an "Overdure Hiker" in his beloved Sequoia and Kings Canyons Nat'l Park. From the authors description, it seems like one beautiful place to die.
15
Just remember that somebody still had to find/clean up your body. My sister is a Forest Service ranger and I don't want her having to drag some dead guy out of the woods...
People kill themselves in city parks too, I wonder what the numbers are like. A guy I know working with the city has found two bodies, and there was at least one in Cowen this summer.
People kill themselves in city parks too, I wonder what the numbers are like. A guy I know working with the city has found two bodies, and there was at least one in Cowen this summer.
16
@13,
Why is it selfish, because of the grieving loved ones left behind? What about people who have no one, no family, no friends, no nothing? Is suicide not selfish then?
Why is it selfish, because of the grieving loved ones left behind? What about people who have no one, no family, no friends, no nothing? Is suicide not selfish then?
17
What's wrong with selfish, anyhow? Must my family and friends expect moral superiority from me in death too?
18
Yeah, making some govm't employee have to find and recover your body is uncool. I'm planning a very long dive into the ocean, personally (note to friends and enemies: not soon). Let the fishes clean me up.
19
One of the advantages of my tree idea is that by the time anyone discovers the body, birds and bacteria will have pretty eaten everything. Not too disgusting that way, I'd guess.
The ocean is probably even better, but less masochistic. Plus, you'd need to find a way to get far out to sea without leaving a trace.
I'm thinking about this much more as an Agatha Christie plot, now, not as advice to the despondent person that wants to merge with Nature. The schemes she invented in Murder on the Orient Express and Ten Little Indians were crazily elaborate.
The ocean is probably even better, but less masochistic. Plus, you'd need to find a way to get far out to sea without leaving a trace.
I'm thinking about this much more as an Agatha Christie plot, now, not as advice to the despondent person that wants to merge with Nature. The schemes she invented in Murder on the Orient Express and Ten Little Indians were crazily elaborate.
20
Charles -- All suicides deserve our respect and sorrow. Don't criticize what you cannot comprehend.
21
Really. How about booking a cruise. Enjoying a delightful meal or a nice sunny beach. Get back on board, leave a note and jump into the sea, never to be found. We also have a new right to die. Either way, life can become unbearable for someone and they have the right to end things as long as they aren't risking anyone elses life.
22
I'd prefer strapping several kilos of explosive to myself and taking a whole mess of filthy infidels with me.
(Any infidels will do - I'm not making a religious statement here...)
(Any infidels will do - I'm not making a religious statement here...)
23
Remember, if you jump from the train bridge just south of the Ballard Locks, you'll flush out to sea and we won't have to fish your body out.
Plus, bonus points, we might find your foot in a shoe in later years ...
Plus, bonus points, we might find your foot in a shoe in later years ...
24
@21,
No, don't leave a note. Let it look like an accident or foul play so your survivors can sue the cruise line for millions.
No, don't leave a note. Let it look like an accident or foul play so your survivors can sue the cruise line for millions.
25
It's been said before, but bears repeating "dissolving" into nature most frequently leads to some poor shlub in a Civil Air Patrol helicopter risking his life to remove your sticky bits from the canyon bottom.
26
I agree that the ocean is the best way to go, but I'd probably take a handful of vicodin or something first... you know, just in case.
27
this is sick. i have found a dozen websites teaching people how to write a suicide note! STOP ENCOURAGING THIS BEHAVIOR. SUICIDE IS NOT THE ANSWER. If you are asking yourself if you should write a suicide note, try not writing one- try not even killing your self at all. instead seek help.
My best friend killed himself 2 days ago. Its destroyed everyone who knew him. As the last person who talked to him- and the person who found the body-
know that suicide is a selfish impulsive decision that will only make things worse. while you may believe that you are ending your own suffering- you are actually passing it on to everyone who loves you.
seek help. call a friend, go for a walk, get out of the house, watch a movie, just wait it out- it will get better. even if you dont think anyone does- someone loves you more than you will ever know!!
My best friend killed himself 2 days ago. Its destroyed everyone who knew him. As the last person who talked to him- and the person who found the body-
know that suicide is a selfish impulsive decision that will only make things worse. while you may believe that you are ending your own suffering- you are actually passing it on to everyone who loves you.
seek help. call a friend, go for a walk, get out of the house, watch a movie, just wait it out- it will get better. even if you dont think anyone does- someone loves you more than you will ever know!!
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