Kind of funny to hear Batman of all people preach freedom and democracy, when he’s a grade A fascist himself 
Which reminded me of this comic strip
You should start by acknowledging that because your upbringing was abnormal, you may have some ideas in your head that are fucked up. And you might benefit from some counseling, because seriously Smapti, you have some very strange beliefs.
“Before their time” ? How do you even know when their time IS? When you say so? That is not your call.
You don’t “want people to suffer”? Well, there’s proof positive that you’re a fucking liar. You made it abundantly clear many times in the Brittany Maynard thread that you want the sufferers to stick around no matter how bad it gets.
It is my sincere hope, however, that your grandmother with ALZ does not suffer too much on her way out. She probably won’t be aware of it. But you will be, and I can’t comprehend why you would want to watch her deteriorate more every day.
Then again, the fact that I don’t understand how your mind works is a Good Thing.
Smapti, unlike some posters here, I have no animosity towards you whatsoever. But I have to say, you have some of the strangest notions and opinions I’ve ever encountered.
Well, now I’m just plain depressed by all of this.
Re-evaluate your philosophy on life. Maybe your rough upbringing has led you to believe in an unreasonable system of morality.
Happily Smapti is not yet fully human?
I took Smapti off my ignore list.
Yeah, attack the guy who was abused as a child, and say they’re the one who’s not fully human. Find a fucking mirror.
I had animosity until the suicide thread and the subsequent discussion here. Now, while I disagree strenuously with pretty much everything he’s saying, I get more where he’s coming from. I understand trying to gain control through assertions of, or bowing to, authority. It doesn’t suit me and I don’t tend that way, but I get it.
“The BBQ Pit: Come for the bile and vitriol, stay for the slow torture-rape of puppies.”
Why would you do that?
Alright.
I don’t come here and say what I say because I enjoy being called a monster or an sociopath or subhuman or to be accused of making stuff up to get people in a dander. I come to this board to have fun and talk about movies or TV or music or wrestling or stupid Republican ideas of the day. And sometimes i see threads about subjects I feel strongly about - drugs, crime, suicide, etc. - and I’ll respond passionately and honestly. I’m sorry if my way of viewing the world is so different from the local consensus, but I’m not saying these things to get people angry or start a dogpile, I’m saying it because I believe it.
Every time I express these kind of opinions lately it just seems to derail the entire thread into everyone digging through my words for gotcha-yas, or calling me a troll, or just plain calling me names instead of what the original topic was. I can’t believe that I’m the only person on the Dope who’s opposed to suicide, but once I got there nobody else wanted to interject, so I’m sorry for derailing the conversation.
Maybe I should just stay out of political threads for awhile and stick to fun stuff, because this is too much heartache and it’s obvious I’m not going to change anyone’s minds with the reputation I have right now.
That’s fine to believe things, and it’s fine to engage in conversation about them. In fact, engaging in conversation is, I think, one of the best ways to challenge your beliefs and try to drill down to figure out where they come from. Do I believe X because it has a moral/ethical component for me, or because something about not-X makes me uncomfortable or scared? Do I have a guiding principle, or am I just flailing or going with my gut? Can I recognize my own tendencies and biases?
Anyone can go into a thread, shout some dogma, and just repeat it endlessly when challenged. I know I’ve done just that. But it is laziness, intellectual or physical. It takes more energy to be really thoughtful, and we don’t always have that much energy. But it’s worth it when we do.
Has the extreme negativity and vehemence with which your philosophical and moral statements have been received caused you to reevaluate these beliefs in any way?
Probably a good idea. If I may, I highly recommend avoiding the BBQ Pit entirely. Ignore it. Excise it from your brain.
It sometimes looks like there are fun or useful conversations in the Pit. And sometimes, sure, it happens. But it has its name for a reason. This is where TPTB in Their Infinite Wisdom decided to corral all the flaming. Here be trolling and insults and puppy-rape. It’s a shitty place, a wretched hive, and we’re all scum and villains here.
You may, in your case, but others may not, in their case.
And it may not actually be their choice. Smapti, I’m not the name-calling type so this is simple disagreement. You’re plain wrong on suicide. You approach it like it’s a choice, when aside from instances like assisted suicide in terminal people, it’s not. It’s due to depression or other mental issues:
A person with a mental disorder doesn’t think like you and me. It’s not cowardice that drives people to kill themselves, it’s mental illness.
Not to nitpick, but it’s still a choice. It’s just a more “internally-coerced” one.
I have a mental disorder, by the way. But suicide is still a choice.