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Self-immolation

Self Immolation is...?

  • Brave

    Votes: 4 22.2%
  • Stupid

    Votes: 7 38.9%
  • Crazy

    Votes: 1 5.6%
  • Other (state in thread)

    Votes: 6 33.3%

  • Total voters
    18

Cimarron

IRL is not real
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You have a right to do what you want with your own body, and I do find it tragically noble. But what exactly does it accomplish, other than causing pain and sorrow for those that love you?
Obviously, it draws attention to your cause. The more dramatic a display, the more likely it is to receive attention. This is why it's used by people who really feel a major lack of attention to their cause, compared to the attention it should be given.

And it strikes empathy into those who watch. With a strong show of anguish--that a cause is so important, and a situation so emotionally painful, that you prefer physically burning yourself with fire rather than continue with that emotional pain*--you evoke empathy in others who start to gauge how seriously much pain you must be in.

* = The idea is that you either live with the emotional pain, or the attention of this spectacle will bring someone to change the situation, relieving the emotional pain at the price of the physical pain of the fire.
 
G

Glycerine

Guest
Depends on what is going on in their mind.

Assuming the person was trying to inspire people to join the cause, and that he/she genuinely see their lives as being less important than their cause, I'd say it's more noble than stupid.

Otoh, if the person did that expecting some kind of payoff in an afterlife, then it was totally utterly stupid, so stupid that words can't describe.

According to my Tibetan friends, it's typically the former. It is seen more as last resort demonstration of Tibet's suffering (at least from their POV, the Chinese government has desperately tried to erase the culture and absorb Tibet as just an extension of China... for the past 60-70 years). Since the Tibetan culture is highly tied to Buddhist teachings and the Dalai Lama, they tend to believe in non-violence/peaceful protests towards others so they sacrifice themselves for the cause. It's the ultimate act of martyrdom for them.

I could see why people find it "stupid" or "brave".
 

Mole

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Mar 20, 2008
Messages
20,284
The self immolation of the ego is taught by most religions. So it is no wonder that some take it literally and immolate their bodies along with their egos.
 

Such Irony

Honor Thy Inferior
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I would never commit suicide over a cause but if do think that people should have the right to do so if they choose. In a way, it's brave, crazy, and stupid all-in-one. Brave in that you're willing to give up your own life for a higher cause and suicide can be the ultimate statement of protest. It's crazy and stupid in that you're just one person and your suicide has no guarantee of actually changing the situation. Then you just have one more needless death.

I suppose it depends on the cause. If you live in a country whose government is so oppressive that most of your basic rights have been stripped away, then suicide may not be so bad an option. If it's just because there's one particular way you don't like your country ran but it's good in other ways, then I'd be more inclined to say suicide is crazy.
 

Lark

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Joined
Jun 21, 2009
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I'm always very sure to declare myself against suicide generally, ideologically motivated or personally.

That way if I'm ever found dead having fallen from a cliff or anything else people will immediately know that I've been murdered or assasinated.
 

iwakar

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This is a particularly awful way to go, but I too have often wondered: how effective is the grand gesture? Hunger strikes, self-immolation, and the like... It seems that unless the public responds rapidly and overwhelmingly, it is difficult to measure the results. I don't know that we can be sure either way.
 

Tiltyred

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Maybe it's my aux Fe talking, but if I'm going to take myself out for a political cause, I'd want to take some politicians with me. Nobody gives a damn if I set myself ablaze. I don't entirely get it. China has utterly demonstrated that they give no fucks -- people have been doing this for the last ... 30 years at least. That I know of. I can kind of identify with being that pissed off, but only barely.
 

Lexicon

Temporal Mechanic
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No one really appears to give a damn about why someone does shit like this beyond passing speculation. The action itself merely triggers morbid curiosity, and most don't seem to explore beyond that.

Don't wanna miss their favorite tv shows or dampen their day.

Seems like a grandiose, misguided effort to make a difference/leave an impact, though it really achieves nothing (imo), but produces yet another odd public spectacle to observe & move on from.
 

salad

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this remind me of James Andanson who one day begin feel sad so he drive hundreds of miles south of where he headed, lock himself in his car without his keys, set himself on fire then shoot himself in head. to me this is confusing way of suicide, very painful and logistic nightmare
 
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