A recent article in the NYT implied a relationship between our nation's destroyed economy, and the increasing rate of suicides. It appears that some citizens, financially suffering over long periods in a dysfunctional economy, an economy evolved and/or manipulated to keep the most vulnerable in virtual servitude, have chosen suicide as a method of ending the suffering.
A society, a culture, a nation ... evolves ever so slowly, in cycles ascending occasionally in the direction of a type of heaven ... then descending toward a kind of hell, seemingly encouraged to the former by the forces of good, and toward the latter by the forces of evil -- both forces residing in the mind of man.
But, what of the suffering citizens who choose suicide to relieve the suffering in a destroyed economy? How can this be? Should we be surprised when a generation of hard working citizens ... who've lost their wealth to wall street, been shafted in the bailout, lost their homes and pensions in the crash, been crushed by mushrooming medical expenses, endured additional financial rape via the creative mechanisms of unfettered capitalism, discovered that their nation has been terrorizing vulnerable nations for decades, have realized that the wars fought by their nation are maneuvered into being by the MIC as warned by Eisenhower, and who've had to accept the fact that a far reaching world capitalism absurdly focused only on profits has destroyed millions of jobs for the young and the old ... chooses suicide?
Although the word "Evil" might apply to certain henchmen surrounding Hitler, it's perhaps too extreme for the individuals described herein, as the subjects of this piece are merely cruel, arrogant, greedy, abusive, and indifferent to the sufferings of those over whom they wield power -- a power relentless -- expressed politically, and covertly via the corporate and financial monoliths.
Crimes committed from a great distance in time and space, and through the anonymity of covert mechanisms, must nevertheless be solved, and the criminals punished.
Unless a nation is governed by an intelligent and enlightened legislature, executive, and the judicial ... it will eventually evolve a set of laws, conventions, and mechanisms through which a few are assured extremes of wealth and power, and the mass of citizens, the working class, are assured a life of struggle, and for some, a life of poverty and suffering. These abusive societal mechanisms, being less restrained by proper legislation, common sense, and a sense of decency, have become more prevalent in recent decades ... to levels unreasonable and unacceptable. The conditions are in some ways similar to those of pre-revolution France in the late 1700's, and in Russia in the late 1800's.
The degree to which we can relate the deaths by suicide due to suffering caused by a destroyed economy, is the degree to which we can seek punishment for those who destroyed the economy. The time has passed for which certain individuals to whom we've entrusted our government can be allowed to continue unpunished, in arrogance and greed, in anonymity, even though their very decisions have caused the suffering, and therefore the suicides of thousands of our citizens.
The quest for power and absurd wealth has for some become the new American Dream, encouraged by a bought, corrupt, and clueless media ... by thousands of decadent mega churches, and funneled into the minds of vulnerable children and ignorant adults ... all at the expense of common sense and decency.
As our unfettered capitalism drifts toward self-destruction, society increasingly assumes a state of disorder and desperation. Just as the dying sparrow warns of suffocation in a cave, the human suicides warn of excessive suffering in an approaching societal disintegration.
The defense for a politician or corporate mogul, indicted for causing citizen deaths by suicide, might argue that, even though the defendant's actions created the horrendous economic conditions, the defendant could not foresee the consequences of his or her actions, and therefore the defendant could not be guilty of any type of manslaughter. Are individuals who've worked the capitalist system to absurd maximums released from the responsibility to contemplate the consequences of their actions upon the economy or the society? Must the guilty be exonerated because they were blinded by obsession for power or wealth, even though their actions caused, albeit indirectly, the deaths of many thousands via suicide?
Surely, most who ponder the relationship, would perceive that many of the suicides could be considered to be a normal reaction to what the defendants did or did not do as they voted legislation and made covert decisions in favor of their corporate benefactors -- decisions shamefully against the good of society, the environment, the economy, and therefore, against the interests of, and the survivability of, the average citizen.
Relentless, somewhat extreme suffering, over decades, forced upon any population segment... white, brown, or black ... by the actions of any individual, agency, government, or organization, should be considered not only unacceptable, but punishable, by anyone with a sense of justice, a conscience, and a concern for one's fellow human being.
If some have difficulty believing it possible to indict the individuals mentioned above, then one might inquire as to how many deaths by suicide would equal one death by a clear case of murder in the first degree? Surely, if a legislator or corporate official was responsible for the deaths of twenty citizens by suicide, the crime would be equal to one death by murder in the first degree ... and therefore would be punishable by either life in prison, or execution.
I suggest that the time for justice, and that the conviction of at least a few dozen of these criminals is overdue ... that the sentencing to long prison terms or, in some cases, death by execution, would do well to remind those elected, and those in powerful corporate positions, that their power must be used responsibly to improve societal conditions for the average citizen ... that their purpose is not to relentlessly maneuver capitalist mechanisms to absurdly enhance their wealth and power at the expense of the environment, at the expense of a stable economy, and at the expense of the wellbeing of the average citizen.
But .. as always, after indictment, trial, conviction, and sentencing, the court must be fair and generous. If justice is to prevail, after finding some of these arrogant capitalist men of greed and indifference guilty of at least a kind of manslaughter ... or even better, if, by proving excessive degrees of guilt, some were forced to engage the deep sleep in eternity, they would, by the courts benevolent consent, choose their method of execution ... either the rope, the firing squad, the guillotine, the chair, the drug, the gas chamber, and lastly, the crucifixion -- the latter being one I cannot imagine from a sane person. I suspect that most of these formerly very comfortable and arrogant individuals would choose the drug, as it would be much like the preparation for a surgery -- and, choosing this method would correspond to the cowardly character of these uncaring, abusive, pitiful individuals.
Okay .... no response. I wonder why? The ideas within seem valid to me. After all, we've suicides ... self murders so to speak. Just because we are somewhat comfortable ... enjoying at least stable personal economies, must we look askance as to the cause of the distress of others, and the cause of the suicides? How about the suffering of these individuals; that is, the long months and years of suffering before they chose suicide? Isn't this a kind of warning of the continuing decline of society as a whole?
Some respected media and individuals have attributed the cause of a ruined economy to the decisions of the few who have the mechanisms to actually determine the course of it. Some suggest that the entities in positions to affect the direction of the economy, give great attention to their retention of power; that is, control, and thus to their wealth ... so much so that they give little attention to decisions that would, if chosen, provide a stable if not robust economy that would provide the means through which the mass of citizens could enjoy at least a quality of life without extreme stress or the pressures to suicide.
Citizens, as a consequence of the natural inclination to live out their lives in a reasonably productive and peaceful way, do so, unless the economy and other societal attributes make it almost impossible.
I'll admit that it is unrealistic to expect indictments or convictions of the guilty plutocratic/oligarchic types, as mentioned in my first post, because the courts are controlled by these individuals. But, as history has always shown, justice eventually reigns ... if not in the legislature or the courts, surely in the streets. Extreme abuse, arrogance, inequality, cruelty, indifference to the masses ... has always, in all but the most rare of cases, ended in the streets.
The extremes of abuse and indifference are restrained for a time by the instinctual perceptions of the oligarchs/plutocrats, as they realize that they too could be overthrown via chaos in the streets. But with time, their lust for power, for survival, and wealth, will usurp their caution and restraint, thereby allowing further extremes and absurdities.
A people ... the masses ... after enduring unending attacks against their freedom and their ability to achieve at least a moderate quality of life, will finally perceive reality ... will perceive the cause of their suffering ... will perceive the enemy ... and will seek an end to it all ... in the streets.
Must get to work ... in a rush ... there is more .... sorry ... for I know not what I think. :)
Ron,
Suicide happens through a loss of hope and self worth. This can happen via economic trials as well as many other triggers.
When people dont have hope or feel like they have no other alternative to the life they are living some get focused on themselves.
Some psychologists say that suicide is the ultimate in selfishness, because you begin to believe that your life deserves better but are unwilling or unable to raise your self above the doldrums. So in response to the need to do "something", one extinguishes their life instead of seeking assistance or alternatives.
If one's self worth is based on income and career esteem, and you cant attain either one, then yes, it can be seen that some personalities cannot tolerate a life without and would rather not deal with life without.
This is where I would see an economic malaise could trigger difficult circumstances for those individuals inclined to respond poorly.
While an improved economy might help many who feel this way, improving ones expectations for personal achievement would have more long term impact.