In this world which has glorified materialism
over all other considerations is it not surprising that suicide is growing now
approaching 1 million a year. The factors that fuel such a dire loss to the family, friends and wider community may also be perversely contributing to
the sixth extinction and environmental damage on a global scale.
At what point
do we recognise we are responsible for each other, for every living human on
this planet, for the creatures that share it with us and for the priceless
legacy that is the planet we all inhabit?
If
I can make monstrous amount of money selling drugs ( at huge damage to society),
peddling fossil fuels rather than renewables (contributing to global warming),
continue to market/make cigarettes or alcohol (with associated deaths and
health consequences), expand the gambling industry, increase sex business (Human
trafficking earns profits of roughly $150 billion a year[1]) or harvest the remaining
forests in the world, destroying the lungs of our planet (Between 1990 and
2016, the world lost forests larger in size to the entire country of South Africa[2]) and polluting our seas[3] then why should these
activities ever stop? If making money is the sole pursuit, at whatever cost short or long term, then lets at least be honest about its consequences.
In a world which values winners over principles
what sort of society do we end up with? And at what cost are such profits made? I
speak not only of the economic injustices but also the precedents that have
made these activities the habits even the aspirations of people everywhere. Practices
that are copied and cultivated by the new 'would be winners' of each succeeding generation.
We often worry about the local drug dealer in
our area with his flashy car and evident ill-gotten gains. In a neighbourhood beset with
destitution and unemployment, his example becomes seen as the only surefire
route out of poverty. What does it do in terms of peer group pressure? What
does it say to our young? However, there are many other drivers of suicide apart
from that already mentioned. Some are surprisingly unexpected but may be useful to see this issue more clearly.
Age
Effects
Suicide is the second leading cause of death
among 15-29 year old’s globally[4]. Is this not shocking and unacceptable in equal
measures?
Climate
Change – too changeable
Between 2012 and 2015 over 10,000 farmers
committed suicide in India[5]. It is speculated that the inability to get the right
price, crop failures and insurmountable debt are the factors that drive these
extraordinary figures. It is also evident that the increasing frequency[6] of events such as drought
and floods exasperate these problems.
Geographical
Location – too far north and too sunny
Greenland suffers from the highest
suicide rate in the world, indeed twice that of the second highest, Lithuania.
Since this rate is somewhat similar to the high rate of suicide in the
Inuit in the north of Canada it has been speculated that geographical location
may be significant. In particular, being high in the Arctic Circle seems to
produce larger numbers of suicides (suicide and Greenland). Perversely, the suicides
do not peak in the dark of the Arctic winter, as one might expect, when there
is no sunlight for months. Instead, suicides are at their maximum in June when
there is no night.
Economic
Austerity – the silent killer stealing lives
Mortality increased substantially in Russia after the economic crisis in 1998, with even life expectancy falling to 58.9 years among men
and 71.8 years among women by 2001. It is estimated that an extra 2.5-3 million
Russian adults died in middle age in the period 1992-2001 than would have been
expected based on 1991 mortality[7].
So what can be done?
The truth is that many of these factors
mentioned above probably act together in terms of providing the
perfect storm that costs lives. In one memorable science fiction film,
society could monitor deaths live. There was an instant obvious alarm on
a global online screen as one life after another was taken/lost. I would
like to speculate if we could all have that information fed back to us on a
global basis our priorities would change instantly. If natural
feedback on the loss of human life could be given would our real responsibilities be made clearer. If our choices could
be coloured by even this basic understanding would it change how we
act?
On one
depressing level, I think perhaps no. After all, for years, we all have
known the health consequences of smoking, overeating etc but our poor habits
persist. We know war is an awful business which devastates countries and
nations but we find excuses to have them.
But on the other hand, I feel humanity as a whole is noble
and there are more good people than bad out there. When there is war or a
breakdown in society it is the worst of us that come to the fore not the best. So,
when I think of suicide or loss of life I am reminded of all those who love and
support others, who work in the fields of sustaining health or who create warm
united families and communities. Such environments are safety nets for
those of us who experience the perfect storm in our lives. My Dad's
favourite comedian was Tony Hancock who took his own life and left this note,
"Things just seemed to go too wrong too many
times".
Tony Hancock
The sadness
and honesty of that line hurts the heart. But a thought-provoking suicide note
was found written by another poor soul which simply said,
“I won’t kill myself. As long
as someone smiles at me today.”
So,
if you have the energy, do smile at someone today, it could make all the
difference. Perhaps, there are four qualities which are lovely to find in
people and which enrich lives both in the short term and long term. They may not make you materially better off
but they are game changers in their
own way.
- enthusiasm and courage
- a face wreathed in smiles
- a radiant countenance
- to see with their own eyes and not through the eyes of others
- the ability to carry a task once begun, through to its end.
