Subject: Re: suicide
AntiUtopia@aol.com
Date: Fri Feb 25 2000 - 19:56:41 EST
In a message dated 2/25/00 7:47:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,
citycabn@gateway.net writes:
<< I imagine, I guess, I wistfully think or hope only God Himself (Whatever,
Whoever That Is) is in the position to render a judgment, to recalibrate a
life's meaning (if indeed it necessitates recalibration) when Suicide enters
the equation. It seems to me to be between Him and His Creation. Not us.
--Bruce >>
So nice, so kind, but so totally against the grain of the life we really live
day in and day out. . . :) You're just substituting a moral judgment about
suicide for a moral judgment about moral judgments about suicide.
Point is, you never escape making moral judgments about the actions of
others. Not at any time. The only consistent responses are judgments about
all actions, or silence in the face of all action. If the word "Zen" popped
into your head, that's one of the reasons I respect eastern philosoph(ies).
Rational coherence :) (if that statement wouldn't kill a real buddhist I
don't know what would...)
My real take on Seymour's suicide is that it's along the lines of Franny's
nervous breakdown and Holden's plans to run off to a cabin. Franny had Zooey
screaming at her to grow up (and escape the spectre of Seymour in order to do
so...and we'd all better think about what that means), Holden had Phoebe
telling him he wasn't going anywhere alone, and poor Seymour only had Muriel.
Poor, limited, self absorbed Muriel (and I say this being one who would tend
to defend her right to be limited and self-absorbed).
Jim
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