Several news stories related to class, some more serious than others, one's quite bizarre:
1. From The New York Times: "A Life’s Value May Depend on Agency"
Agencies that calculate the worth of a life have been raising the number, which affects how much the government should spend to prevent a single death.
http://nyti.ms/gCjwiz
2. From The New York Times: OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR: Grief, Unedited
Most older people who lose spouses from natural causes recover much more quickly than we have come to expect.
http://nyti.ms/i9CYhe
3. From The New York Times: BOOKS OF THE TIMES: The Shock Of Losing A Spouse
In “A Widow’s Story” Joyce Carol Oates reflects on the pain of losing her husband after nearly 48 years of marriage.
http://nyti.ms/gmXP3C
4. http://mobile.salon.com/mwt/feature/2011/02/12/truth_about_grief_qa/index.html
5. From The New York Times: "Assisting Suicide to Be Focus of Trial in Motivational Speaker’s Death"
A defendant who is about to go on trial told the police that, for a payment, he had held a knife as a stranger thrust himself at it.
http://nyti.ms/huHnbQ
6. 14Mar11 Helping doctors help the dying. http://blogs.hbr.org/innovations-in-health-care/2011/03/-the-stuff-i-do.html
I am going to respond to the government putting a worth on a human life. I understand the economical aspect of determine the worth of each human. The only problem I have is that each individual puts a different worth to their lives. I believe the way our families and the way we view ourselves is what determines the worth of our own lives.
ReplyDeleteWith the second article, I find this very interesting! I have heard a lot about older couples and how one passes on the other follows quickly after. I have to say that my grandparents are only in their sixties so I did not have to worry about that when my grandmother passed on but my boyfriend's grandparents are at the age of 90 and his grandfather passed away two months ago. The morning of his funeral, his grandmother had a severe heart attack and was just able to return home about two weeks ago. We were afraid that she was going to pass away with a broken heart, which can happen. Yet, she pulled through everything and is living well on her own! So this article really intriques me because of the recent incidents in my life.
ReplyDeleteI also read the article Stacey read and have also heard the same so I was very surprised to read about how studies have shown this is not necessarily true. After reading the article and thinking about it, I think the conclusions make sense. Sure, there are many cases where it takes a person a longer time to recover from the loss of a loved one. However, for the elderly many of their spouses have died from either natural causes or some sort of disease they most likely had for awhile. I believe the reason why it doesn’t take them long to recover is because they have lived a long life with their spouse and have enjoyed their time with each other so they can appreciate that and move on. Or on the other hand, the couple has had time to deal with the disease diagnosed and prepare for a life after their spouse has died.
ReplyDeleteI also read the very bizarre article about the guy who “assisted” in a man’s suicide. If this story is in fact true, I think the thing I find most disturbing is that there was a person out there who agreed to do this for a complete stranger. I cannot even imagine being approached by a stranger asking me to shoot them or push their body into a knife and on top of that agreeing to fulfill their wishes. I have heard of stories where a person asks a loved one to help them kill themselves but never a stranger.
ReplyDeletein response to ashley, look up dr. Jack Kevorkian. This man assisted in what we believe is upwards of 130 deaths and i'm only assuming that he didn't know most of them (once again only assuming). He was charged with 1st degree murder and convicted with 2nd degree murder. He was sentenced to 10-25 years in jail, but was let out on parole after 8 years as long as he didn't offer suicide advice to anyone else
ReplyDeleteto respond to the article "A Widow's Story", I can honestly say that I am no longer surprised by the idea of a widow remarrying quickly after the death of his or her spouse. I have known in my life at least two instances i can think of off hand of a man whose wife was taken due to breast cancer. Within a year in one case, and a mere 6 months in another, he was remarried. In one case, she had been a family friend for years who was also recently widowed. I don't see this as a betrayal, but i can also say that if either of my parents were widowed, i would not be thrilled with the remaining one remarrying while the headstone was still new on my deceased parent. Like anything else, this is a highly individual opinion. And when it all comes down to it, we each have to decide for ourselves what we think is best, acceptable, right, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn response to rebecca I agree that I too am no longer surprised by the idea of widoww remarrying so quickly. However, i have no first hand experience of those remarrying right away but it just seems that people no longer taking the time and my opinion respecting the one that they just lost. Like you said this is a highly individual opinion but i just find it to be wrong to not at least wait a couple years before remarrying especially if there is children involved.
ReplyDeleteHello Class,
ReplyDeleteTo Jacob & Ashley:
What he did was meant to be good for those he helped. Wasn't he driven by personal experience to even begin doing it? For those who are going through terminally ill diseases or are in cronic pain of sound mind should be allowed to make that decision for themselves. In my eyes he gave them a ticket pass that was safe and non painful to the individual. He wasn't just helping anyone who wanted to do it. To my knowledge he had criterias for helping only those he felt truly needed it.
However, helping a stranger on the street sounds strange to me. I myself could never help anyone friend or stranger commit suicide; to me, I would be committing murder.
Irene
From The New York Times: OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR : Giving Life After Death Row
ReplyDeleteOnce I am executed, let my organs go to people who need them.
http://nyti.ms/fooYyL
From The New York Times:
ReplyDeleteEXHIBITION REVIEW: When the Dead Arise and Head to Times Square
“Pompeii the Exhibit: Life and Death in the Shadow of Vesuvius” at Discovery Times Square features plaster casts of bodies caught at the moment when they ceased to be.
http://nyti.ms/gvy66l
From The New York Times:
ReplyDeletePastor Stirs Wrath With His Views on Old Questions
To traditionalists, Rob Bell’s statements border on heresy, and they have come at a time when conservative evangelicals fear that youth are straying from biblical truths.
http://nyti.ms/hKhTlp
Hello Class,
ReplyDeleteHere is another link on "Assisted Suicide and Free Choice"
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/05/iyengar.assisted.suicide/index.html