Do you feel sorry for people who court death, and die?

[satindesire]

Just looking for opinions and the general consensus, here.

When someone base jumps, or is a heroin junkie, gang banger, or skydiver...if they are killed doing that whatever, do you feel sympathy for that person?

 

[ownedsubgal]

i feel great sorrow for any decent person (and sky divers, gang bangers, junkies, can all be decent people) who loses their life against their will.

 

[chy_girl]

I think that would depend a lot on the person and the situation.

 

[satindesire]

I feel more sympathy for their families than them, I think.

I don't court death, as much as I possibly can. I don't do very dangerous things by choice and I always try and follow the letter of the law. I used to do some very dangerous things and wasn't always a great person, so looking back, I can say that who I was...if I had died, I wouldn't have felt sorry for me.

But for my parents and family? Absolutely.

It's different than someone who's doing something dangerous out of a job, like, say...a firefighter, a cop, military, etc. That's something that takes bravery, often putting themselves in harm's way to help other people. But someone like a gang banger or a junkie, to me, they made their choice a long time ago. It's not like we/they didn't know it was dangerous but chose to do it out of selfishness/weakness/whatever, anyway.

 

[intothewoods]

I pretty much agree with osg. Lots of sympathy for addicts. I used to feel upset by so-called thrill seekers or people who die as a result of risky jobs like Steve Irwin or whatever. I don't know anymore. Maybe that's their calling and their passion and they accept the risk. I used to feel bad for kids they've left behind, but perhaps it teaches them the lesson to do what they love. I don't know for sure but I think it's at least a complicated question.

 

[satindesire]

I pretty much agree with osg. Lots of sympathy for addicts. I used to feel upset by so-called thrill seekers or people who die as a result of risky jobs like Steve Irwin or whatever. I don't know anymore. Maybe that's their calling and their passion and they accept the risk. I used to feel bad for kids they've left behind, but perhaps it teaches them the lesson to do what they love. I don't know for sure but I think it's at least a complicated question.

It certainly IS a complicated question.

Speaking as an ex drug addict, I gotta say, I'm a lot more unsympathetic than I used to be.

Maybe my time made me hard when it comes to addicts.

 

[Kikori]

There's a line drawn between the people who are self destructive as an escape, and those who risk self destruct as a lifestyle or seeking their own thrills.

It'd make me a very great hypocrite to berate anyone for doing anything dangerous for their own gain when I practice something like aesphyxiation. But that is related far more to the skydivers, the roof jumpers, and the people who basically risk their neck having fun however they get their adrenaline rush by. Broken bones may certainly be a possibility, but the intent is to go wild and enjoy the moment. With that scenario, my condolences would go out both to the family and the victim.

I relate that fetish to thrill-seekers specifically because it can't be compared nearly as well to someone who brings about their own death with self destructive behavior. If I'm to pity a drug addict using his high as a way to escape whatever reality he's been put in or put himself in, it's more pity of both his situation and lack of will to change it than the end result. Like Satin, I can't feel as sorry for someone whose self destruction was brought about by their own desires to escape when the option to do something better is ALWAYS there. Where before the pity could be described as "Why did they have to die for having fun?", this group would more earn a response of "Why did they have no help changing their life?"

 

[satindesire]

There's a line drawn between the people who are self destructive as an escape, and those who risk self destruct as a lifestyle or seeking their own thrills.

It'd make me a very great hypocrite to berate anyone for doing anything dangerous for their own gain when I practice something like aesphyxiation. But that is related far more to the skydivers, the roof jumpers, and the people who basically risk their neck having fun however they get their adrenaline rush by. Broken bones may certainly be a possibility, but the intent is to go wild and enjoy the moment. With that scenario, my condolences would go out both to the family and the victim.

I relate that fetish to thrill-seekers specifically because it can't be compared nearly as well to someone who brings about their own death with self destructive behavior. If I'm to pity a drug addict using his high as a way to escape whatever reality he's been put in or put himself in, it's more pity of both his situation and lack of will to change it than the end result. Like Satin, I can't feel as sorry for someone whose self destruction was brought about by their own desires to escape when the option to do something better is ALWAYS there. Where before the pity could be described as "Why did they have to die for having fun?", this group would more earn a response of "Why did they have no help changing their life?"

Good post! You brought up an excellent point.

I think that self destructive behavior can be brought on by a great number of things, not every addict has had a terrible family life, or abuse or blah blah in their past that's caused this massive trauma to run away from. Of course, the nature v nurture debate could be a rich one, and I DO think some people ARE predisposed genetically to get easily addicted to drugs. I don't feel sorry for people who don't get help, though!

Not everyone gets high to escape. Some people, I think...are just plain weak and stupid.

I only say that because I really had no good reason to be an addict...I was just stupid.

 

[Kikori]

Usually the addicts who don't have horrible lives are also smart enough as druggies to not use anything overly damaging to their system. I haven't met a happy druggie who ventured far outside of weed as their 'usual' thing, and it's pretty much proven that canabis itself is quite harmless as far as drugs go.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

.... I DO think some people ARE predisposed genetically to get easily addicted to drugs....

I haven't done any deep research into the topic, but anecdotal material I've seen seems (to me, at least) to indicate that some people ARE genetically inclined toward addictive behavior, whether it's smoking (MY addiction, which Mass General and Harvard Med at one time claimed was a more difficult addiction to cure than that to heroin), hard drugs, or risky behavior (BASE jumping, skydiving, etc.).

I have alcoholics in my family tree... branches and branches of them, on both sides, going back <documented> at least three generations. According to the materials I've seen, I should be predisposed toward alcoholism or other addictive behavior, but I think I've been lucky to turn away from the *really* dangerous stuff and just stick with my cigarettes for almost a half-century, though I'm now down to 6-7 cigarettes a day, from the 40-50 a day I was smoking a couple years ago.

So, back to the original premise of the thread: Do I feel sorry for them? Yeah, I do. I pretty much feel sorry for anyone who dies who hasn't seriously hurt or injured others with their behaviors. Rapists, murderers, etc.? Nope. I'll stand there and give *them* a golf clap as the light goes out of their eyes.

 

[satindesire]

Usually the addicts who don't have horrible lives are also smart enough as druggies to not use anything overly damaging to their system. I haven't met a happy druggie who ventured far outside of weed as their 'usual' thing, and it's pretty much proven that canabis itself is quite harmless as far as drugs go.

Well, you just met one. I wasn't addicted to weed, sweetheart.

So, back to the original premise of the thread: Do I feel sorry for them? Yeah, I do. I pretty much feel sorry for anyone who dies who hasn't seriously hurt or injured others with their behaviors. Rapists, murderers, etc.? Nope. I'll stand there and give *them* a golf clap as the light goes out of their eyes.

Lawl. Golf clap.

 

[Kikori]

Nobody gets properly addicted to weed. You can't. XD It's just a drug-of-choice thing when that comes into play.

 

[TooTiredToLive]

Nobody gets properly addicted to weed. You can't. XD It's just a drug-of-choice thing when that comes into play.

deleted

 

[satindesire]

Nobody gets properly addicted to weed. You can't. XD It's just a drug-of-choice thing when that comes into play.

I disagree, but opinions are great like that. ^_^

 

[JMohegan]

Just looking for opinions and the general consensus, here.

When someone base jumps, or is a heroin junkie, gang banger, or skydiver...if they are killed doing that whatever, do you feel sympathy for that person?

Why feel sympathy for someone who feels no pain?

I think one should be able to end one's own life at any time, and for any reason. Legally, and without condemnation from society at large.

Though of course, there are those who would be left behind. That's the rub. Not an easy decision, but a person should have the right to make it.

 

[Kikori]

Then find me the people who ARE addicted to weed, as in physically craving it (not simply mentally craving its effects) and needing to go back to it for fear of going into a withdrawal of it.

It's perfectly possible to develop an addiction in terms of "I love the feeling and want it again", but your body will not push you to go back to it the way it will alcohol, tobacco, and whatever drugs people happen to OD on before they die.

 

[satindesire]

Then find me the people who ARE addicted to weed, as in physically craving it (not simply mentally craving its effects) and needing to go back to it for fear of going into a withdrawal of it.

I can show you my friends M and A, who have been addicted for about nine and a half years now. They live in California, and spend about 60% of their monthly pay on weed.

I don't think that addicts necessarily have to have painful physical symptoms to be addicts.

Gambling addicts don't feel painful withdrawals. Sex addicts don't either.

Something doesn't have to be injected or ingested and affect the body in a chemical way like drugs to become addictive.

 

[Kikori]

Then I should've specified that I was focusing on the addictions to the intake of any kind of substance (which I tried to do with this post). ^_^;

 

[satindesire]

Then I should've specified that I was focusing on the addictions to the intake of any kind of substance (which I tried to do with this post). ^_^;

Yeah, you probably should have been more specific.

The withdrawal affect of weed are:

irritability, anger, depressed mood, headaches, lack of appetite, and cravings for marijuana, restlessness, generalized anxiety, hostility, difficulty sleeping, excessive sweating, loose stools, loss of appetite, and a general “blah” feeling. Many patients complain of feeling like they have a low-grade flu, and they describe a psychological state of existential uncertainty—“inner unrest'.

I've seen it first hand. I'm not a pot addict, but I've known them, and seen withdrawal right in front of me. Not everyone who smokes gets addicted, not every addict gets every symptom, but it DOES happen.

 

[JMohegan]

As a point of genuine curiosity, I have a question for any Christians on the board. If it is offensive for any reason, please feel free to ignore. I wasn't raised with religion; I really know nothing about Christianity except what it seems to be from the outside looking in.

Why feel sorrow for the deceased, if they go to the spectacular ever-after, wonderful eternity, god's-finally-taking-care-of-you, place?

Why not actually be *happy* for the dead?

 

[satindesire]

As a point of genuine curiosity, I have a question for any Christians on the board. If it is offensive for any reason, please feel free to ignore. I wasn't raised with religion; I really know nothing about Christianity except what it seems to be from the outside looking in.

Why feel sorrow for the deceased, if they go to the spectacular ever-after, wonderful eternity, god's-finally-taking-care-of-you, place?

Why not actually be *happy* for the dead?

Sorrow is more about missing the person, for Christians. We know that we'll see them again someday, but the fact that their mortal shell is gone from today, makes us miss them terribly.

 

[JMohegan]

Sorrow is more about missing the person, for Christians. We know that we'll see them again someday, but the fact that their mortal shell is gone from today, makes us miss them terribly.

Thank you for answering the question. I understand.

I guess I misread your opening post though. Did you mean to ask if everyone felt sympathy for the family and friends of the addicts, etc.?

 

[satindesire]

Thank you for answering the question. I understand.

I guess I misread your opening post though. Did you mean to ask if everyone felt sympathy for the family and friends of the addicts, etc.?

Oh, sure, no problem. I'm always happy to give what I can to someone who's seeking knowledge about religion and religious people.

I was asking specifically if they felt bad for that person specifically that got killed, or if they felt sympathy for their family/left behind loved ones, or both.

Really, a very general question.

 

[JMohegan]

Oh, sure, no problem. I'm always happy to give what I can to someone who's seeking knowledge about religion and religious people.

I was asking specifically if they felt bad for that person specifically that got killed, or if they felt sympathy for their family/left behind loved ones, or both.

Really, a very general question.

Ok. Thanks again.

 

[satindesire]

Ok. Thanks again.

No problem!