XPost: uk.philosophy.humanism, alt.suicide.methods, alt.suicide.holiday   
   From: peter@new.co.za   
      
   Somebody on another group suggested this idea. I suppose that it has   
   been well discussed in the group alt.suicide.holiday, but this might be   
   a new angle.   
      
   It is not a bad idea. I'd be quite safe as I don't follow any national   
   days - to me they are all Bank Holidays and their notional intent   
   otherwise is irrelevant to me. This is, by the way, irrespective of what   
   country I happen to be in, I think all national days everywhere rather   
   sad echoes of nationalism.   
      
   I enjoyed the film 'Jump Later' recently that made a pleasant joke of   
   how rational it was to postpone suicide until tomorrow. A national   
   suicide day could help in the same way. Suicides could meet up at   
   popular suicide spots (the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, for   
   example, has been a popular place to kill yourself ever since it was   
   built - though one suicide survived because her crinolines acted as a   
   parachute) and discuss their reasons with each other before jumping. I   
   think quite a few lasting friendships might be forged at those spots.   
   Suicide is essentially a lonely activity, often in response to   
   loneliness. To have a day celebrating it when suicides do it together   
   would negate this and might actually reduce the levels.   
      
   The Clifton Suspension Bridge is so popular, I think, because you don't   
   have to climb up anything in order to jump down. So your intention is   
   not made so clear to yourself during a physical activity - one that can   
   make you feel more alive.   
      
   Before such a National Suicide Day, the inadvisability of certain   
   methods - like; self-immolation (uncontrolled fires are dangerous for   
   the neighbours and the insurance might not pay out), defenestration (you   
   could kill somebody passing by or flatten an innocent cat), guns to the   
   head (some people have survived living horrible lives with half a   
   brain), gassing in a car (the headaches from carbon monoxide poisoning   
   are bad enough to make you want to kill yourself - and unleaded petrol   
   doesn't work that well) - could be publicised.   
      
   I think it might be a rather good idea. I'll propose it elsewhere and   
   see what discussion arises.   
      
   --   
   Time comes from the future, which does not yet exist, into the present,   
   which has no duration, and goes into the past, which has ceased to   
   exist. - St. Augustine   
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