Suicide Essay -- essays research papers

Suicide The natural end of every human life is death. Some people, for reasons that have never been fully understood, choose to end their own lives. This is called suicide, which means literally "self-killing." For all the uncertainty that has surrounded the phenomenon of suicide, his assessment of the problem is probably as accurate as any. The individual, in seemingly hopeless conflict with the world, decides to end his or her existence in what amounts to a final assault against a society that can no longer be tolerated. In so doing, the person tries to obtain a final revenge on everything and everyone that have caused their feelings of depression. Sometimes suicide has been used as a form of execution. Perhaps the most famous such case is that of the philosopher Socrates, who was required to drink hemlock to end his life in 399 BC, after being found guilty of corrupting the youth of Athens. In the 20th century the German general Erwin Rommel took poison rather than be executed for his role in a plot to oust Adolf Hitler from office. In some societies suicide has had social ties. In Japan, for example, the customs and rules of one's class have demanded suicide under certain circumstances. Called seppuku or popularly known as hara-kiri, which means "self-disembowelment" it has long been viewed as an honorable method of taking one's life. It was used by warriors after losing a battle to avoid the dishonor of defeat. Seppuku was also used as a means of c...