Would you want to choose when to die?

[scubascuba3]

I've been thinking about this on and off for a while. I'm still pretty young 43 but I wouldn't want to live when my health and mind deteriorates. I'd like to choose when to die. I don't mean throw myself off a condo but say for me I choose 75. I then have certainty. I can plan for how much cash I need to live comfortably and I don't need to worry about dementia, etc.

This is a personal choice, most might want to live as long as possible. Id like to choose when and be able to check my self into a clinic to do the deed. Thoughts?

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[CharlieH]

No one can predict the future, you can choose 75 and get hit by a bus tommorow.

Its better to think that way maybe if you get to 75 without any issues, dementia could hit at 50! There is no knowing.

Just live as best you can, while you can, enjoy life to the fullest, tomorrow belongs to no one.

Worry about the choices you have when you get there, if you ever do cos no one knows when that little barcode stamped on your neck is gonna run out, we all have that expiry date, the beauty is, we just dont know when it is.

[MAJIC]

The main flaw of your choosing to die at 75,is that it's very possible you could live to 90 or 95.Maybe you should look up the Futuristic Charlton Heston film "Soylent Green"

[chickenslegs]

I expect that there are millions of people around the world who have, at some time in their lives, sincerely wished to end their life but then recovered from their depression/illness and gone on to enjoy many more years of life.

At 43 years of age it would be foolish to choose to die at 75. During the 32 intervening years it is quite possible that medical advances will make it quite common for people to enjoy good health well into their 90's or 100's.

However, I do believe that in a civilised society it should be possible for a sane human being to choose to end their own life (and be assisted in doing so) if they are in pain with no expectation of relief.

[roamer]

Now imagine you are 74, in good health & enjoying life. Still want to exit next year ?

[itsrebel]

I think its a good idea to plan for an exit age and do it early in life so that you can at least plan your finances. The only trouble with the society we live in is that you aren't allowed to end your life legally.

I already have a number in mind and am saving to retire in a few years.

And I don't care if I will be healthy that day or will have many more years to live.

And if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, I can't really do anything about it other than hope that the accident kills me rather than leaving me paralyzed.

[NeverSure]

Well, there is that old joke. "I want to die in my bed when I'm 95; shot by a jealous husband."

[Beetlejuice]

When you are in your 40s, being 75 probably seems like a million years away.

I will hit 60 in a couple of months and when I was in my teens reaching 60 years old was considered so far into the future that it was never going to happen, something i did not have to think about, then suddenly one morning i woke up and I was 50, which seemed like a couple of months ago and now looking at 60, whoosh just like that and for me being 60 sucks.

Back in my young days I truly believed that people in their 60s should be dead and buried and could see no point in their existence. My point is that to younger people being old and ancient is something incomprehensible, but don`t worry, we will all be there soon enough, sooner than most of us may expect and then attitudes will change, because growing old is all part of the life package and there are no easy ways out.

[BlackArtemis]

My grandmother is 93, has her own apartment, and drives her own car. All her sisters died around 95-96 and they were healthy up to the last few weeks/months and then went fast. I think budgeting to a certain year might lead to problems. But I agree with your points, and if I ever found myself as a quadriplegic, I would want to be able to choose death.

[drx13]

I believe Aldous Huxley cracked it in "Brave New World", everyone died at a predetermined age with a big party. It was the only known way to die in his world. Of course I would have been an Alpha.

Edited December 11, 2013 by drx13

[jackr]

Now would be good.

[sirineou]

I have being paying in to the Social security system since I started working when I was about 23,

I am now 56 and the bastards have a lot of my money,

I hope to retire and start collecting when I am 65, No way I can get all of it back in 10 years, and I am not going anywhere until I do .

[TexasRanger]

I never bothered too much about death and have dodged it more than a few times, but now I have a kid I want to squeeze out every year I can, having said that my worst nightmare would be becoming a burden to my family.

[kevvy]

I already know .5 five ago I had a bad disease which damaged my heart and kidneys , gave me less than 10 years to live , was in hospital last week and it has not improved . life goes on .

[A1Str8]

It would be cool to die just before the gf figures out that I have been cheating on her.

[Ulysses G.]

Back in my young days I truly believed that people in their 60s should be dead and buried and could see no point in their existence.

Me too and I am almost there. I also thought that 60 years was a long time to live, but it flew by very quickly.

[DocN]

I have worked in a home for old people, some of them were mentally so demented, that they were not even able to communicate with the outside world anymore.

I absolutely would love to die, because it goes that far (...although some of my friends are saying, it is already too late... )

[geronimo]

I would like the option of a painless release, should I ever need it. I cannot understand how society thinks it is acceptable to put a suffering animal out of its misery, whereas a human in the same condition must have their lives prolonged at all costs!

[geronimo]

Now would be good.

Wow! Aren't you the life and soul of the party.

[CharlieH]

In an ideal world, I would like a place somewhere when if the desire takes you, you go, check in, you are given something to help you sleep, while you are sleeping, you get injected or whatever and you dont wake up.

You could enter that place anytime you like, whatever the age or circumstance, your life, your choice.

Quiet, no fuss, no mess, no jumping off balconies, no drawn out medical scenarios, just dignity and your choice to say goodbye on your terms.

[itsrebel]

In an ideal world, I would like a place somewhere when if the desire takes you, you go, check in, you are given something to help you sleep, while you are sleeping, you get injected or whatever and you dont wake up.

You could enter that place anytime you like, whatever the age or circumstance, your life, your choice.

Quiet, no fuss, no mess, no jumping off balconies, no drawn out medical scenarios, just dignity and your choice to say goodbye on your terms.

I would still like to do it myself though.

In my ideal world, that place you talk of would also have an option of shooting oneself in the head or whatever way one wishes to go. I think that I would get some pleasure out of it and would like to see myself pulling the trigger as I take my last breath.

[transam]

Back in my young days I truly believed that people in their 60s should be dead and buried and could see no point in their existence.

Me too and I am almost there. I also thought that 60 years was a long time to live, but it flew by very quickly.

I am well past that age, still pumping iron and other stuff too..... .................

[tim armstrong]

Sounds to me that the OP is just starting his first mid life crisis. All things being equal you will probably live until your 80's, so why not enjoy it. start a long term bucket list now.

[Neeranam]

My gran died last year aged 100. Her husband died nearly 50 years ago aged 60 with heart disease. My father is nearly needing a wheelchair in his 70s. His father died 70 years ago aged 37. Nearly all the old men I have known start going way down when they are 75 ish. I think I'd want to die if I needed help to walk or wash my arse. Then again, with a pretty young nurse, it might be enjoyable. Maybe I'll go to Pattaya and act like a kids again.

[Ulysses G.]

Back in my young days I truly believed that people in their 60s should be dead and buried and could see no point in their existence.

Me too and I am almost there. I also thought that 60 years was a long time to live, but it flew by very quickly.

I am well past that age, still pumping iron and other stuff too..... .................

A lot of people are. Things have changed a lot in the last 50 years.

[mickjn]

Had my first brain tumor 1994 nearly killed my 12 months in hospital but I got over it.1997 came back again then again 1998.This time cut out again and had big dose of radiation.Put of work 1998 but was going good until 2 years ago when I got infection in titanium plate they put in my head.Really knocked my back but I am still here.1994 I had no grand kids now I have lived to see 7.If I get sick and die or if I go to bed tonight and do not wake up so be it there is nothing more I want to do,hard for me to get now around beside that I have had a great life.

[thailiketoo]

My gran died last year aged 100. Her husband died nearly 50 years ago aged 60 with heart disease. My father is nearly needing a wheelchair in his 70s. His father died 70 years ago aged 37. Nearly all the old men I have known start going way down when they are 75 ish. I think I'd want to die if I needed help to walk or wash my arse. Then again, with a pretty young nurse, it might be enjoyable. Maybe I'll go to Pattaya and act like a kids again.

Hugh Hefner, 82, The Dalai Lama, 73, Willie Nelson is 75, Rupert Murdoch 82

Mick Jagger looks like 103 but is only in his 70's.

[FiftyTwo]

Well, there is that old joke. "I want to die in my bed when I'm 95; shot by a jealous husband."

I want to die in her bed when I'm 95, shot by her protective father.

PS

@ the OP, I had a dull and boring life at age 43 and was just waiting to die, 15 years later sex and adventure in a tropical country .........

You just can't predict the future.

Edited December 11, 2013 by FiftyTwo