I tried this on an earlier thread with dangerous substituted for suicide and the discussion got off on the suicide thing. So let me try this again.
If someone is planning doing something that is life-threatening and I am asked about a technical aspects of it, do I have an responcibility if I answer? Do I spend my last breath saying “use your common sense, the enjoyment is not worth the risk!!!” or just say “this is dangerous but if you feel you must then let me help”?
plug in any activity that you think is too risky but some might think is their God given right.
You can’t watch your friend 24 hours a day 7 days a week. If he/she insists on doing something life threatening, there is little you can do to stop it other than calling authorities.
If you’re talking about activities like rock climbing or hang gliding or some other pursuit, then get a grip. You’ll just make your friend angry and lose his/her friendship. If it bothers you so much, find other friends.
I think that you should do your best to point him away from the dangerous action. Show him the facts. Tell him about how dangerous it is. If he insists though, you should let him go. If he has made up his mind, don’t keep pushing him. It’s only going to strengthen his resolve, and make him resent you. And if he does it anyway, no blood on your hands I say. You tried
“friend”: hey, zoot, i’m gonna shoot up this huge syringe full of heroin, get my guns, go hold up a liquor store and steal a car to go joyriding in. only problem is, i don’t know which vein to put the needle in. any advice?
me: sure, there’s a big one on the side of your neck called the carotid. want me to tie the tourniquet around it for you? i’ll put you up for a darwin award while i’m at it.
sometimes, you just gotta let them go and learn the hard way. and if it’s something REALLY stupid, i agree with evilhanz.
Justin, this was addressed in detail about six months ago in a GD thread, and after several hijacks the conclusion was reached that it is the responsibility of the person intending a dangerous act; your responsibility is a moral one (to be accepted or not as you choose) to attempt to dissuade him, but to feel no guilt (other than possibly that of not having been persuasive enough) if he chooses to act nonetheless and comes to danger.
Enabling, of course, is a complete other ball of wax.
Tell them you think this is a bad idea. Tell them you don’t approve. Tell them you’re afraid they’re going to kill themselves. And tell anyone else within earshot, too. And if they’re still bound and determined to do it after that, then shake your head and walk away.
Note: All of the above assumes that they’re not going to hurt or endanger anyone else whilst pursing their self-destruction. If they are, call the cops. One man’s suicidal risk may be another’s good time. (Rock climbing, skydiving, auto racing.) But nobody has the right to endanger anyone else - only themselves.
-Ben