Friday, November 23, 2007

The Glaring Fact of Suicide

We used to see suicide attempts in a way of despair and hopelessness. When one feels that life is worth living no more and it has nothing to offer but hatred.

Traditionally, we can see suicide attempts as the typical and almost predictable narration in most of the drama series, anthologies and movies -- whether true story or not. And so it came to pass that suicide has been used extensively in scriptures, but it should also be noted that this activity is usually played by adults.

In the past few weeks, broadsheets and newscasts revealed their banner stories with a twist. From those stories, Mariannet Amper, 12 years old served as the flagship entry of related cases this time to children. And it is now a glaring fact that this ethical issue of life termination is almost hitting the most significant actor of the society.
Suicide targets the young minds, an issue that should be given special and serious attention.

Suicide may occur in many different reasons, and I know some of them are not yet known. Depression, avoiding pain, financial difficulties and other undesirable positions are the general factors to complete the list. Having an understanding on this issue does not necessitate hardball researches, but just an "open-mind", through which it requires the most thoughts.

Poverty, the struggle for access to social rewards and the deprivation to survival at least -- these are the main reasons that authorities and common tao are taking into account against the government; since the government cannot promote the basic welfare intended to every citizen of the country,as a right not a privilege. As expected, Mrs. Arroyo made a rebuttal to this mass' flaming commentary with a vindication of blame. Displacing the attention from government's capability to life support to media's sensationalized journalism (false hopes providers). I guess Mrs. Arroyo practiced again "political survival" even in this crucial event, but people's consciousness is glorified to exist and we are not blind to retrieve the root of all these. But thinking out loud, the blame should not be hardly put on the heels of the President vis-a-vis her administration.

The media striked back, particularly Vicky Morales (to where Mariannet's letter is addressed), host of reality program, Wish Ko Lang (GMA7), declaring the innocence of media in giving emphasis on Amper's death. She reiterated that what happened was just a clear picture of poor people trying their luck in game shows, networks, reality shows. A strong statement incorporating Filipino's trust to government that has gone astray.

A surprise catch for the allied and medical professions, as booming number of cases on youth's suicide attempt continue to seize the Philippine landscape. They are afraid of its possible outcome -- corrupting young minds that through suicide, they can help their families in terms of life status, or suicide as way of avoiding any undesirable fates and worst, the idea of suicide, not bad at all.


Politically, is suicide a product of the inevitable convergence of societal concerns to their lives?

Where do we meet in this critical scenario?

5 comments:

Jan Robert said...

Why don't we look at the perspective where the parents of Amper has faults (even if little) in their family's impoverished life. Why do we have to put the blame in the government?

Can we put into consideration that the parents themselves could have triggered the child to commit suicide? The death of one cannot be solely blamed to the government. There are other factors that must be looked into. Two cannot become six if not multiplied by three. :D

P O R S C H E said...

Precisely, that's why pointing fingers should not be directed to the government alone, or the other way around including the citizens. This is not contingent to this particular event. We're not talking only to this stand.
This is just a descriptive view of the conflict happening in the political structures of our country. As I said, "I know some of the reasons are yet/ and are left unknown".

I guess that's the main reason why I decided to leave hanging questions. ",)

Jan Robert said...

In the first place, do we need to blame people (government or citizens)? If you do know the reasons, tell it. Leave it not on the unknown. :D

On the lighter note, that was a great article Yfur. :D Hehehe... You can do well in the Manila Collegeian or the Tagamasid. :D Good luck!

P O R S C H E said...

Well then, who are to blame? the non-actors?

I can directly say that nobody can declare the reasons at this point as it is the matter of individual entity among them.. Despite of the thorough investigations, the real story will be left authentic known only to that person who terminated his/her life.

Also, I do belive that there still exist unknown reasons for various things.

Thanks for the comments!;)
God Bless!

Anonymous said...

I, for a fact, blame poverty and Amper herself.