Fight to the end hand to hand. I have watched poignant documentaries on Afghanistan and don’t see anyone quitting on each other.
And so when man and horse go down beneath a saber keen
Or in roaring charge of fierce melee you stop a bullet clean
And hostiles come to roast your flesh just empty your canteen
And put your pistol to your head and go to Fiddler’s Green.
Slightly modified last stanza from “Fiddler’s Green”
I’m old enough to remember Captain Mainwaring’s inspirational speech to the Walmington-on-Sea Platoon in which he declared that they would certainly fight to the last bullet - and they’d save that last bullet for themselves.
At this point he asks Sergeant Wilson about their ammunition supplies and Wilson oh-so-mildly tells him “One bullet each, sir”.
I had never heard that before, but it’s nice to know that there are more heroes than Jesus in the bible. I’ll probably be suggesting that S:t Josephus become the guardian saint of Sweden from now on, sounds like a man after our own tastes. 
It’s good for the soul to reflect upon the mortality of the body. It also brings to the front the most important choice you ever make, you choose to be alive or you don’t. Accepting that life is a choice is an important part of maturation, and will bring you out of the victim state more often than not.
Also, everyone has a suicidal urge, it’s part of the makeup of the psyche. It’s better to look at these things than repress them. We all have monsters inside us, it’s good to bring them out into the light.
Are we allowed to take a few potshots at the hypothetical on our way out? I’d wait for the doctor to off himself, pump his body full of laxatives and any other nasty stuff I can find in the dispensary and then fling the body over the walls. Hopefully the enemy will stop for one last picnic…
- Josephus is not a character in the Bible.
- As a non-converted Jew, he’s hardly eligible to be a Christian saint and would probably object to any such designation quite strenuously.
- I may have been whooshed here.
Yeah, thats bullshit.
I have reflected on my own mortality many times. It’s why I have life insurance, why my wife and I have designated my best friend and her wife as guardians to our kids in the event of our untimely deaths (and vice versa); why I wear seat belts and bicycle helmets, why I monitor my blood sugar and blood pressure. But I can do all that without considering suicide.
Death will come whether I will it or not. That is no reason to invite the fucker in, or not to punch him in the balls when he peeks around the corner.
I, like Han Solo, do not like to be told the odds. I’ll fight on hanging to a shred of hope, but try to keep one bullet. Just in case.
OTOH, I saw both grandfathers, a beloved great-uncle, and my father all die protracted, unpleasant deaths that took every bit of their dignity from them. Their last days, years in some cases, were nothing but a fog of confusion, pain, and humiliation. Sometimes it is better to invite Death in and greet him as a friend.
I considered suicide, like many people, as a teen. Life was rough. But even then I knew I was never serious. I don’t have any moral problems with suicide and think it should be offered much more freely in our society. I think that Robin Williams should have been able to choose , after settling his affairs and saying goodbye, to step into a suicide booth or whatever. I hope to one day be able to make the choice and not be tortured on machines because a bunch of do-gooder moral schmucks think it’s better for me to live.
And in this scenario I still wouldn’t off myself. There’s always hope, right? Besides every person who kills themselves is one less person to fight, and frankly, I’d consider that cowardice and running away. I’d stay with my mates and I’d fight to the death.
I’m with the leader.
I fight until I can’t fight anymore, and then I keep fighting. If they want to kill me, then I refuse to do their job for them.
Oh, I’m not against euthanasia. When all that awaits one is intractable and severe pain followed by death, checking out early can be a valid option. I’d say that suicide is a rational choice in the hypo, and in your grandparents’ case. It was Stoneburg’s general sentiment I oppose.
Quite so. Well said.
Pneumonia is/was sometimes called ‘Old people’s friend’ - most frequently by the nurses who care for the dying-very-slowly folks.
When you can no longer move or even flex muscles, your lungs will fill up.
At that point, death becomes merciful.
It shouldn’t be too hard to see that it can be merciful under even less unpleasant circumstances.
Thinking you will always be in control of your fate is a conceit of the young. Grown-ups should know better.
People that picked anything other than 1 or 2 are the reason evil continues to exist on the planet today.
I’ll die fighting and the legends should record my last words* as “Valhalla, I am coming.”
The actual words will probably be something like “Ow! Fuck! That hurts.”, but legends generally prevent a more glorious version of reality.
Let’s do this. LEEEEEEE-ROYYYYYYYY JENKINSSSSS!!!
“Alright. Who wants some?”
On Spotted Dick.