# Which is worse: death or suffering? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 2, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423 "2010-09-02T20:19:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/1 "2010-09-02T20:19:37Z")
Deliberately posited without context to avoid impeding any insight that might come with a broader thinking field. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/2 "2010-09-02T20:23:02Z")
Suffering is worse for the suffer. Death is worse for the survivor. Give me death. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/3 "2010-09-02T20:25:53Z")
As above, only suffering usually sucks for the survivor, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/4 "2010-09-02T20:37:54Z")
I’ve died twice. Not fun. I’d rather suffer. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/5 "2010-09-02T20:45:34Z")
Suffering followed by death is the real bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/6 "2010-09-02T21:42:42Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > I’ve died twice. Not fun. I’d rather suffer. Nice User/post combo. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/7 "2010-09-02T21:53:17Z")
I voted for death, but in fact it depends on context. Great suffering without hope of surcease or escape, and with the certainty of worsening, is probably worse than death. As I write I think of a friend of mine who euthanized her mother some years ago when the latter was incurably ill with cancer and in enormous pain. Death was a mercy in that case; I cannot gainsay my friend’s act, and I expect I’d want the same done for me in the same circumstance. But if there is hope-- not for a miracle, but for some healing or other improvement–then death is clearly worse. I wanted to die after my son died, and I still miss him, but I’m glad I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/8 "2010-09-02T21:58:40Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > Suffering followed by death is the real bastard. It’s what most of us have to look forward to, I fear. As Matthew Arnold wrote: [QUOTE=an Englishman who’s been dead for a hundred and twenty-two years, and whose work, consequently, is out of copyright even by Disney standards] _For the world, which seems To lie before us like a land of dreams, So various, so beautiful, so new, Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;_ [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/9 "2010-09-02T22:12:02Z")
Suffering. I know there is a point at which I would trade suffering for death. And that point exists for both pressured and unpressured situations (e.g. I can be tortured to the point where I would pop a cyanide pill, but even in a safe environment, I could determine my life is so hopeless to do the same). I’m surprised anyone is ticking death. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/10 "2010-09-02T22:32:42Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Suffering. > > I know there is a point at which I would trade suffering for death. And that point exists for both pressured and unpressured situations (e.g. I can be tortured to the point where I would pop a cyanide pill, but even in a safe environment, I could determine my life is so hopeless to do the same). > > I’m surprised anyone is ticking death. I believe death is the end. There is no coming back from it and no existence after it. Therefore suffering is not (generally) as bad, as there is no way I can profit from no longer existing. But, as I wrote earlier, it depends on the degree of suffering. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/11 "2010-09-02T22:33:26Z")
Suffering. Which has always been confusing because suffering is meant to make us change our behavior so we stop engaging in behavior that threatens survival (on one level or another). So why make suffering so intense that people would rather die than experience it? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/12 "2010-09-02T22:35:31Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Suffering. Which has always been confusing because suffering is meant to make us change our behavior so we stop engaging in behavior that threatens survival (on one level or another). So why make suffering so intense that people would rather die than experience it? Meant by whom? ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/13 "2010-09-02T22:49:16Z")
The severity of suffering depends on how we are all going to inevitably die at some point, in case you didn’t get the memo. So I chose suffering. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/14 "2010-09-02T22:50:14Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I believe death is the end. There is no coming back from it and no existence after it. I agree. I was interpreting the question as a choice between suffering and non-existence. While I don’t like to simplify experiences as positive, negative or neutral, there is certainly a point at which my experiences could be sufficiently unpleasant that I would choose non-existence. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/15 "2010-09-02T23:06:38Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > I’ve died twice. Not fun. I’d rather suffer. Buffy? Is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/16 "2010-09-02T23:14:45Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Buffy? Is that you? If I am, I’m in the wrong body. Died the first time of a heart attack when I was 16. I had no heart beat and no brain activity for 2 minutes. Not a fun way to find out I was born with a heart defect. Second time I died on the operating table while the docs were removing what was left of my appendix and the resulting infection that caused. No heart beat and brain activity for 3 minutes that time. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/17 "2010-09-02T23:19:32Z")
My biggest fear is a slow lingering death. If I have to go, may it be quick. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/18 "2010-09-02T23:20:04Z")
There’s suffering and then there is suffering. Do you “suffer” during childbirth? Would anyone really prefer to die than go through childbirth? Some people suffer during unusually cold winters (you should hear all the whiners here in CA). Do they prefer to die than suffer the winter? So, in summary: If “suffer” = pain, then death is worse. If “suffer” = excruciating, but time-limited pain; death is still worse. If “suffer” = excruciating, interminable pain until death; perhaps death is better. Seeing how many people prefer death to suffering, I am guessing they are all going with definition #3. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/19 "2010-09-02T23:49:42Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > There’s suffering and then there is suffering. Do you “suffer” during childbirth? Would anyone really prefer to die than go through childbirth? Some people suffer during unusually cold winters (you should hear all the whiners here in CA). Do they prefer to die than suffer the winter? > > So, in summary: > If “suffer” = pain, then death is worse. > If “suffer” = excruciating, but time-limited pain; death is still worse. > If “suffer” = excruciating, interminable pain until death; perhaps death is better. > > Seeing how many people prefer death to suffering, I am guessing they are all going with definition #3. Interesting. I made the assumption when answering that we’re talking about the most severe or extreme suffering. Anyone would prefer a papercut to death. I assumed the poll was about suffering at the limit, where there is most potential for disagreement. In any case I don’t think it’s a case of transient pain versus terminal pain. There are chronic conditions that are equally or more painful than childbirth, and yet sporadic. And as I mentioned, there are “pressured situations”. There are levels of torture in which any person would wish for a way out, no matter what it is, though you don’t know your situation is fatal. Finally, you’ve left out mental pain in your analysis. I feel deep regret for certain actions and I know, for certain, that if I were to, say, kill a person through negligance, I would kill myself. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423/20 "2010-09-03T00:31:57Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > > > Suffering. Which has always been confusing because suffering is meant to make us change our behavior so we stop engaging in behavior that threatens survival (on one level or another). So why make suffering so intense that people would rather die than experience it? > > Meant by whom? Natural selection. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-worse-death-or-suffering/552423.md?page=2)