Alternatives to euthanasia

[SpiralusSancti]

In this day and age I’m willing to argue that world is in a stage where euthanasia is (almost) as unnecessary/preventable as hunger is. And same as with hunger, unfortunately only in theory with current “standardized” world-view and with current most widespread values.

Think about this, in a society of people and truly for people, isn’t even unlikely workable solution as cryogenic preservation until cure is found shot worth trying instead of euthanasia?

Isn’t chemically induced coma in hope cure will be found in foreseeable future viable alternative to euthanasia?

At this pace of improvements in science it’s far from impossible that people put down today because of reasons other that being terminally ill and/or of very old age would be able to survive in whatever kind of suspended living for long enough to live without pain, walk again, cure their mental illness or whatever……

 

[G_Chem]

Chemically induced coma waiting for a cure?.. I can’t think of too many illnesses that make that feasible option. It’s not like people in medically induced comas just lay there in perfect preserved state waiting to be awoken.

This idea also seems to assume we will find a way soon to live forever, and/or that people even want that. Personally if I’m 80, riddled with disease, I’d rather just go. Not be frozen, waste societies resources to keep me in a cryogenic freezer so maybe I can squeeze out another 10-20. I’m a believer in reincarnation so I’m not too worried about it.

-GC

 

[SpiralusSancti]

I’m not talking against prohibiting euthanasia just to be clear and abut people who are still relatively young. And yes, chemically induced coma actually do just wake up with preserved brain, older x years and needing some recovery but if body is healed they are fine. Check out examples of people woken up with ambien AND that’s people who were not in a medically induced coma but had some kind of brain problem. If you are worried about being aware, no need, rendering someone unaware is not that hard, you just need to be extra precise or use something safe. You sure you wouldn’t accept few more years/days on a 24/7 Xe trip rather than just dyeing? If extra long sleep needs to be without possible, hmmm, obe’s and nde’s etc. Imagine someone someone with 35 was suspended for 10 - 20 years before strong enough opiate is created for their pain level to be UNNOTICEABLE and even if they need few years of recovery to basically same levels as at 35 and might have decades more of very pleasant and fulfilled life, I was going for an examples of such and similar sceneries.

 

[Foreigner]

Most of the preservation techniques come with consequences. The longer somebody is in a medically-induced coma, the less chance they have of coming out of it. Cryogenics doesn't work on humans yet. In sci-fi they can put people into "stasis" which suspends all of the body's functions to the absolute lowest levels possible, extending their lives. When a person is fatally injured, they induce stasis right away until they can get them to a medical facility. A person's injuries may be so complicated and severe that even if the person is at a hospital already, they could put them into stasis to give doctors more time to analyze the situation before coming up with a treatment plan.

There are feasibility issues to using this on anyone wants it who has a terminal disease. How are we supposed to keep thousands, maybe millions of people in stasis until treatments are found? What if that's in 20-30 years? How would you wake up, treat, and re-integrate all those people back into society without a massive medical system and funding? The medical systems in the west are already on the verge of collapse due to lack of funding. Humanity has already deprioritized people in favour of corporate greed. Even if our society reprioritizes people like you said, it would be a massive undertaking.

In the future, I think that long-term stasis will be reserved for the uber wealthy and maybe the odd person who is considered an asset to humanity, like an Einstein or something. The powers that be are never going to let the plebes be put into stasis because they already view us as useless eaters.

And what if somebody with terminal disease does just want to die? Are we going to force them into stasis instead of respecting their choice? Speaking personally, I wouldn't want to suddenly wake up in 20-30 years when the world is totally different (and probably worse), with all my friends aged or maybe even dead. And what if the storage facility with all the people in stasis gets blown up or loses power?

Any alternative you come up with is going to be sci-fi or just fiscally difficult.

 

[SpiralusSancti]

The medical systems in the west are already on the verge of collapse due to lack of funding. Humanity has already deprioritized people in favour of corporate greed. Even if our society reprioritizes people like you said, it would be a massive undertaking.

And what if somebody with terminal disease does just want to die?

Agree with a first stance and I know I’m overly optimistic because of exactly what you said.

As for a second thing, just let them die if they want, I’m not against euthanasia, I’m against euthanasia when other options are available (like letting person keep their accommodation, giving them painkiller, giving them all available options with potential for curing PTSD instead of killing them as in case in CA someone wrote about).

It was cheaper to let nazi party just kill undesirable people in psychiatric institution but still many opted for all-in to save them. So even if it isn’t gonna be state sponsored this century it could be within a financial scope of many people in top developed countries if given means and sometimes even in financial scope of big chunk of people in some developing countries.

But with things going downhill almost world-wide except for riches folks is putting many below poverty line and anything like this (anything valuing and providing decant human life for as many people in fact), possible or speculative is sliding out of many hands.

I’ll write more about technical stuff and current stuff already possible, nothing SF, even if it’s very fiscally/socially/otherwise difficult I’m positive if available, many people would chose it over euthanasia.