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To me, living isn't an act of bravery. We're biological wired to survive and avoid death at all cost. If anything, suicide is a giant middle finger to hundreds of years of human evolution. One could say it's a true act of free will, but I'm still debating with myself on this.
Regardless, your professor sounds ignorant. I hope someone close to him never has suicidal ideation. He's the last person to go to for support.
In the context of a college professor teaching a course in psychology I'd say that was inappropriate. He/she is entitled to a personal opinion but comments made in class should be objective and based on empirical evidence. Multiple perspectives can be discussed in terms of theory - but personal opinions unrelated to research are out of place.
This was not a class in theology, philosophy, etc.
A comment like that has no place in any college subject, it was the opinion of an a$$hole and nothing more. He shouldn't be teaching, so I agree with the op being dumbfounded.
In the context of a college professor teaching a course in psychology I'd say that was inappropriate. He/she is entitled to a personal opinion but comments made in class should be objective and based on empirical evidence. Multiple perspectives can be discussed in terms of theory - but personal opinions unrelated to research are out of place.
This was not a class in theology, philosophy, etc.
I agree with reneeh63's view on it. Very unprofessional and inappropriate for the context.
I would add that the people who I know personally who hold this view of suicide who are quick to share that view are people who have expeinced the suicide of a close family member or friend to suicide. Some for a while, some forever. Not an excuse, but perhaps the reason in this case. Perhaps.
Your professor's comments may seem to be judgemental but my guess is that he's had to deal with the fallout from suicide in some way.
My own opinion, most people who commit suicide are cowardly, but not all. I certainly don't fault anyone who takes their own life if they are living with some terminal disease with no cure, or in perpetual pain which they cannot get relief. There are other cases too.
The ones who are cowardly are the ones who leave this world who have people depending on them. When I was in my 20's, a guy I worked with killed himself. He had lost his previous job that was very well paying, and he couldn't find another job that was similar for almost 2 years. So he decided to become a stockbroker. He stayed employed long enough to get his life insurance benefits, and to stay long enough so that his beneficiaries would still receive the full payout even in the case of suicide.
I and the rest of his coworkers went to his funeral. We had never met his family or relatives, but we wanted to show our support. He had two young children, I believe they were age 7 and 5 at the time this occurred. We sat many rows back in the church, but you could hear them sniffling and trying to be quiet, but as the minister reached the end of the eulogy, those kids started bawling. Everyone in the church would have given anything to make this right for those kids, and you couldn't help but KNOW had badly Gary had screwed up. I'm sure he thought the proceeds from his life insurance would make everything better and would take care of his family... he was wrong. Those kids would much rather have had their Dad alive, even if he had to go through bankruptcy or the family had to settle with a less affluent lifestyle. I've had some difficult times in my own life the past 2 years, but I would never think of ending my own life and abandoning my family. I've seen how wrong of a decision that is.
In the context of a college professor teaching a course in psychology I'd say that was inappropriate. He/she is entitled to a personal opinion but comments made in class should be objective and based on empirical evidence. Multiple perspectives can be discussed in terms of theory - but personal opinions unrelated to research are out of place.
This was not a class in theology, philosophy, etc.
Agreed. Completely out of place and unprofessional.
And from a personal standpoint, I also cringe every time someone says something like this about one who commits suicide. The only conclusion I can come to is that the person holding that viewpoint has never experienced the depths of emotional, psychological, or physical pain which ultimately drives one to that brink.
I don't judge those who commit suicide. I figure most people who commit suicide have reached the point where they are in such psychological pain -- and sometimes physical pain -- that death seems like the right option. They aren't trying to hurt anyone; they are trying to relieve their own pain. And/or they think the rest of the world would be better off if they were dead.
A close family member committed suicide. I know the effects suicide has on a family. But I don't blame him or judge him or think he was a "coward" or any of that. I grieve him and wish he were still alive. That's all.
Suicide has long been viewed by certain people as the "coward's" way out of things.
That is instead of facing the music/taking their lumps for whatever issues are going on in their lives, suicides simply "choose" to end things thus will never have to face consequences and or repercussions.
Of recent memory and famous would be Adolf Hitler, Eva Braun and many high ranking Nazi/German military officials who decided it was better to off themselves (and in a few cases along with their wives and children), than face what was coming to them as WWII drew to nasty close. Indeed a good number of German and Austrian citizens choose to end things rather than deal with the aftermath of WWII, including the Russians.
This being said persons commit suicide for a range of reasons; despondency, guilt, cowardice (as in preferring to die by one's own hands rather than face trial and execution or imprisonment for a crime or crimes). Then you have those who simply aren't in their right minds and want peace from whatever inner demons are tormenting.
Later reason is why nearly universally when there is a suicide either at corner's inquest or criminal investigation inquiries are made as to the mental state of the deceased. The Roman Catholic church makes an exception for the mortal sin of suicide if it is determined the deceased wasn't in their right mind, and thus cannot be fully held accountable for their actions.
Pretty disgusting thing to say. These people physically remove themselves from the world, and someone still comes along and spits at them by calling them a coward. Do they say it as some kind of deterrent? Many countries around the world also outlaw suicide? Incredibly strange. Shame it's the PSYCHOLOGY professor too. You'd figure they'd be the last person to say that, and have a bit more understanding of people who do idealize suicide.
Only time someone is a coward in that context is if they're a criminal, who has committed a grievous offense against their fellow man, and seeks to escape judgement.
What the a$$hole said was both disgusting and victim shaming. I have no idea how big your class is, but it stands to reason that there is probably a depressed person who was sitting there and probably someone who had either tried suicide or thought about trying it. I know just reading some of the comments here trigger me. I've tried it and I'm currenty feeling pretty low this morning. So I want to ask these clowns who think they know how I feel and why I am thinking about what I am thinking about how in the hell they think they can judge me?
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