Sand wrote:
And all sick people would be better off merely succumbing to their ailments. The savings on medical expense and trouble for others would be immense.
Of course, when you or any of your beloved family members come down with cancer, you possibly could have second thoughts.
Being physically ill is generally something that happens to people and is not chosen (although there are exceptions, like the consequences of smoking or overeating). Illnesses can be treated (most of them can) but self destructive choices are not a treatable condition. So comparing being ill to being an addict (which is something chosen) is not an apt analogy or comparison. Most ill people do not want to be ill and will co-operate in their treatment a cure. Most addicts want to be addicts. There really is no sure and effective cure for their addiction, so give them the dope they crave and they will either stabilize into some functional state or they will die. If the former they can function well enough to work for their living; if the latter they die and are out of our hair.
No one has a solution for dealing with self-destructive urges or choices. We do have a solution for some infectious diseases - to wit, antibiotics.
ruveyn
14 Mar 2010, 1:20 am
