The comment did not feel even slightly "compassionate": it felt like a cold, dispassionate template, the kind of thing read off by someone who knew they should care but didn't _really_, followed by a phone number.
Part of what makes it so _not_ compasssionate is how "lazy" the thought is; FWIW, so far _no one_ in this discussion of this issue has mentioned the OP's website: there is essentially a suicide note on it right now, claiming they have already died. The attached blog is all about suicide, and goes into their issue.
They have a protected Twitter account, a deleted Facebook, apparently Google+ (is that still a thing?), LinkedIn, GitHub, and Instagram... I have sent a message via Instagram (but the account is empty, so maybe entirely unused and abandoned).
Do you mean the website of Mikita Brottman, the author of the attached article? I viewed her website and I didn't see the suicide note. Can you link please?
No: the person whose comment started this thread, the comment with the suicidal fringe to it which caused someone else to leave the "call this hotline" comment which then led to the argument that led to my comment.
As you’ve already conceded that there are few but existing rational reasons to commit suicide, the next question is who gets to decide what reason is rational and what gives them the right to decide that for someone else?
We could start with "Do at least 1/3 of the population think it's justified?" I believe that puts depression on the "no" side and painful terminal illness on the "yes" side with extremely large margins. Work from there to refine the criteria.
That is indeed a difficult question. I doubt a perfect answer is possible. Existing suicide-assisting organizations e.g. in Switzerland typically rely on individual assessments based on extended dialogue with the person wishing assistance and their doctor.
No. "compassionate" is the description I would use.
> The parent said nothing about being in pain.
They repeatedly used the word "suffering".
> The parent posted a completely rational statement.
Not really, no.
> Here someone comes along trying to sound as though there is some moral or intellectual superiority to the opposite action
There is.
> and that this person needs help of some kind.
They do.
> Perhaps we would have more humane suicide options if society were to stop regarding suicide as some kind of dysfunctional behavior.
But in the majority of cases, it is a dysfunctional behavior.
> There are plenty of rational reasons to commit suicide,
Very few, really.
> and there are plenty of cases where not committing suicide seems rather irrational.
The absolute number may be large, but a tiny fraction of the number of people who consider suicide for irrational reasons.