Do we have a moral obligation to live for as long as possible?

[Still Waters]

Quote

I am a 78-year-old woman with a loving husband, three sons, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. However, I was recently diagnosed with cancer. The initial surgery was successful, but I was left wondering whether I should opt for further treatment, and all the suffering it might cause, or take my chances without it. I have, after all, lived a long and happy life. While I have now thankfully been cured, I am still left wondering: do we have a moral obligation to live for as long as possible? 

https://theconversation.com/do-we-have-a-moral-obligation-to-live-for-as-long-as-possible-130324

[TigerBright19]

Earth's population has jumped in the past century from 1 billion to 7 billion people.  Bound to cause problems for Earth's resources.  I don't like the idea of compulsory Euthanasia on the NHS.  Next step would probably be mass sterilization of men and women who've had too many children after exceeding the government's regulatory quota for maximum children per household.  What if Earth's population grows to 10 or 20 billion?  Bound to be some future ground rules set in place to reduce or limit the number of people on the planet.  We should be grateful we have such freedoms today.  Kind of feel sorry for future generations that will have to deal with this problem and wish for a time like today.

 

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by TigerBright19

[khol]

It depends.If we have created obligations in our lives such as caring for our children or other situations where others rely on us for there own welfare then yes. Other then that what moral guidelines are there that dictate we need to continue. Ultimately this choice is ours and ours alone

6 minutes ago, TigerBright19 said:

What if Earth's population grows to 10 or 20 billion? 

Indications show that our population will begin to stabilise towards the end of this century. There are different factors at play but statistics show population growth peaked in the late sixties and has slowly declined ever since. Many studies show conflicting results however so its a slippery slope in estimating growth forecasts

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projections_of_population_growth#:~:text=Projections of population reaching more,billion%3B By contrast%2C a 2014

[+Desertrat56]

No.

[+Liquid Gardens]

Of course not, there's a reason why putting down sick/injured pets and animals is considered the moral and humane thing to do.  It's too bad we can't apply 'humane' to actual 'humans' more often.

[XenoFish]

Once I'm 70 I'll reject any options to extend my existence. Let whatever treatments go to someone younger. 

[+Hammerclaw]

It should be up to the individual. Both my grandfather and my father submitted to and endured the pain and suffering of surgery, which didn't save their lives, for the sake of loved ones. I, myself, have eschewed open heart surgery for a congenital heart defected inherited from my mom. She never had it and lived to 81.

[TashaMarie]

I don't think so.

[Crazy Horse]

Life is a sacred, a present, and should in my opinion be respected to the utmost.

And so, yes.

Although one shall never see those who are screaming "over population" actually, walking their talk.

Which says it all.

 

[lightly]

23 hours ago, Xeno-Fish said:

Once I'm 70 I'll reject any options to extend my existence. Let whatever treatments go to someone younger. 

Fair nuff !   I'll take em, I'm only 69.    

[lightly]

....hmmm, morally obligated?   Nah, I guess not. But the world will be a much less wonderful place...when I'm gone .       Some will greatly miss me, and be very sad...so , I guess I should delay their suffering as long as I can.  

Edited April 30, 2021 by lightly

[Crazy Horse]

14 hours ago, TashaMarie said:

I don't think so.

Why not?

[Crazy Horse]

15 minutes ago, lightly said:

Fair nuff !   I'll take em, I'm only 69.    

Exactly..

Once one hits 70 and is faced with the actuality of dying, for no reason, then its a different ball game..

[lightly]

23 hours ago, Hammerclaw said:

It should be up to the individual. Both my grandfather and my father submitted to and endured the pain and suffering of surgery, which didn't save their lives, for the sake of loved ones. I, myself, have eschewed open heart surgery for a congenital heart defected inherited from my mom. She never had it and lived to 81.

.   Keep up the good work .       I know a guy with a hole in his heart, he sort of puzzles Drs.   

[Crazy Horse]

7 minutes ago, lightly said:

....hmmm, morally obligated?   Nah, I guess not. But the world will be a much less wonderful place...when I'm gone .       Some will greatly miss me, and be very sad...so , I guess I should delay their suffering as long as I can.  

Everybody leaves their mark upon this earth..

"Lightly woz ere"

Will be one of the more beautiful...

[Crazy Horse]

On 4/29/2021 at 7:16 PM, Liquid Gardens said:

Of course not, there's a reason why putting down sick/injured pets and animals is considered the moral and humane thing to do.  It's too bad we can't apply 'humane' to actual 'humans' more often.

To be fair, it may not be purely a question of longevity, but of the general quality of life.

I worked as a community carer back in the day, and I've seen folk left to rot in their own ****.

And so the question is.

Should those folks be euthanised, or should we try to educate folks to firstly, not become so sick in the first place, and secondly, how to look after one-another if that does happen?

It seems to me that euthanasia is the easy, non caring way out of a difficult question.

Which can only ever lead to more despondency.

 

 

[RAyMO]

No

I think we are obliged to live as long as we believe we should. The emphasis being that the individual has the choice, not the state, not the offspring. 

If for example, due to illness we desire release from this world then I believe it should be our right so to choose. Again our right not the state not the offspring.  

[Crazy Horse]

30 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

No

I think we are obliged to live as long as we believe we should. The emphasis being that the individual has the choice, not the state, not the offspring. 

If for example, due to illness we desire release from this world then I believe it should be our right so to choose. Again our right not the state not the offspring.  

And thus, it becomes a matter of choice, based upon a certain perspective, a certain narrative.

Luckily, my reality tunnel believes in Life, in Love, and in GOD.

Good luck.

[lightly]

I guess it could be considered a moral obligation in the case of someone who has 'dependent'  children who depend on him/her ?    If they chose to create these young lives wouldn't they bear some responsibility/obligation to care for them? What about a suicide of a young parent?    

[RAyMO]

8 hours ago, Crazy Horse said:

And thus, it becomes a matter of choice, based upon a certain perspective, a certain narrative.

Luckily, my reality tunnel believes in Life, in Love, and in GOD.

Good luck.

and thus your view is also based upon a certain perspective, a certain narrative.

Edited May 1, 2021 by RAyMO

[+Liquid Gardens]

16 hours ago, Crazy Horse said:

Should those folks be euthanised, or should we try to educate folks to firstly, not become so sick in the first place, and secondly, how to look after one-another if that does happen?

I wouldn't put it quite as 'be euthanised' as it implies it's against their will, but I have trouble seeing why it shouldn't be an option.  We should always encourage people not to get so sick in the first place obviously, but that's kinda a side question; there are too many sicknesses/injuries that are not a matter of someone's choices.

16 hours ago, Crazy Horse said:

It seems to me that euthanasia is the easy, non caring way out of a difficult question.

I don't see that at all.  First off the above is easy for you to say since I'm pretty sure you are not facing this difficult question, I think end-of-life questions really are something that you 'had to be there' to fully understand, in addition to the great variability of those situations.  Secondly as I just mentioned it's neither easy and the exact opposite of 'non-caring' when we take care of animals, so I don't see why the equation flips when applied to humans.

16 hours ago, Crazy Horse said:

Which can only ever lead to more despondency.

I don't see how that follows, it looks like it would lead to more mercy to me.

[Abramelin]

On 4/29/2021 at 3:29 PM, TigerBright19 said:

Earth's population has jumped in the past century from 1 billion to 7 billion people.  Bound to cause problems for Earth's resources.  I don't like the idea of compulsory Euthanasia on the NHS.  Next step would probably be mass sterilization of men and women who've had too many children after exceeding the government's regulatory quota for maximum children per household.  What if Earth's population grows to 10 or 20 billion?  Bound to be some future ground rules set in place to reduce or limit the number of people on the planet.  We should be grateful we have such freedoms today.  Kind of feel sorry for future generations that will have to deal with this problem and wish for a time like today.

 

 

Future generations.... Remember "Soylent Green"?

[Grim Reaper 6]

24 minutes ago, Abramelin said:

Future generations.... Remember "Soylent Green"?

That's a very good point, but I think many here may be to young to remember that move. Here is one for those who hope that an Alien race will come to earth and save us from ourselves!!

Movie " To Serve Man "

Edited May 1, 2021 by Manwon Lender

[godnodog]

For each person, let them choose.
Who am I to say at what point should an age be a limit (not talking about murder or suicide).

You think you had a good long live and from now on its down hill, and you choose to let nature take its course, fine by me, we respect you, we love you and you will be missed 

[Crazy Horse]

On 5/1/2021 at 5:13 AM, RAyMO said:

and thus your view is also based upon a certain perspective, a certain narrative.

True.

One based upon love, sharing, community, and kindness.

You remember?

When life was worth living?