Go here: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/407/the-bridge
Click on 'play episode'. Listen to Act 1 (about 15 minutes long).
What are your thoughts on this piece? Do people have a right to kill themselves? Does this self-proclaimed watchmen have the right to try to stop them?
First of all, I was completely blown away by this audio clip. You can actually hear from his voice that this man who visited Mr. Chen was confused, touched, astounded, and changed forever. I literally had goosebumps while he was telling the story.
Although suicide is illegal in the United States, that is not the case in China for the most part. I found an article from 2003 in the Asia Times about a new Beijing law that prohibited public suicides in the capital, Tiananmen Square. These public suicides were occurring for reasons ranging from a form of public protest to a despair of life. Apparently, a special police force trained to stop these public suicides was even created. However, in the research that I attempted, I did not find any Chinese law that prohibited suicide period.
It is difficult to say whether or not people should have the right to end their own lives. On one hand, if they are truly suffering and no longer want to suffer (whether it be from terminal illness, depression, or something else) why should they be forced to endure it by others? On the contrary, people who consider suicide often do so because of problems that seem unsolvable to them, but like a simple solution to us. With support, therapy, and other psychological help, I believe it is possible to breathe life back into even the most hopeless of souls. In the eyes of loved ones, suicide is often seen as selfish, weak, and the way of a coward. (Not in my words, just a common belief.) This is because the individual will die and go wherever and the loved ones are left behind to suffer the loss, trauma, and emotional pain.
People attempting or considering suicide are also focusing on the negative thing driving them to do it. It's as if the entire world around them is a fog, because they are so fixated on this horrible thing. They do not realize that there are other ways of dealing with pain, trauma, hardship, and anything else. They do not realize the beautiful gift of life because they only see the burden of hardship. Sometimes, it takes another person to help them open their eyes and see the life worth living.
While Mr. Chen was doing a brave, caring deed by saving these lives, I do feel that he could have approached it better. I think "I'm going to punch you in the face" is the very last thing that a person should hear just moments after considering ending his or her life. Many of these people were talked out of suicide by Mr. Chen. Jumping off of a bridge is not the only way to die. There are countless ways that a person could still end his or her life if desperately desired. But, perhaps by getting that second look at life from Mr. Chen, they will decide not to end their lives. In that sense, Mr. Chen is certainly saving lives. He also follows up with the man in the story by asking him to meet in his office the following Monday. Mr. Chen is not only patrolling the bridge to be a hero, but he is actually caring for these people by giving them someone to meet with and talk to. He could certainly work on some better talking techniques, though!
Forgot to add this! Here's the link about the public suicides in China's Tiananmen Square.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/EJ29Ad01.html
I feel that Mr. Chen is very noble for attempting such a feat. He is an extremely strong man to go up there day after day to face such an unrelenting challenge.
After hearing this interview, I was interested in reading the actual article that the guest was talking about. You can find it here: http://www.gq.com/news-politics/big-issues/201005/suicide-catchers-nanjing-bridge-yangtze-river-mr-chen?currentPage=1
The article gives a little more depth into what Mr. Chen really does. He classifies each jumper into three categories: the mentally unstable or clinically ill, the emotionally fragile (someone who has lost a loved one), and those who failed really hard or too often. Mr. Chen has devised a different approach to each category.
Another interesting point I found in the article, was that some of the people who Mr. Chen rescued return to the bridge every Christmas to honor him and celebrate what they call their re-birth.
Whether suicide should be legal or not, I'm very much up in the air about it. I'm not sure how much of a deterrent it would be to put a sanction on suicide. I truly believe that the ones who have their mind set on it will inevitably make an attempt regardless of the legality of it. However, should the attempt fail, I can see how giving law enforcement the power to admit them to the hospital may be of some help. My main concern would be what kind of sanction would be imposed on suicide.
I do feel that Mr. Chen and people like him should have a right to intervene. After all, they are just trying to help. People who are contemplating suicide usually have an altered perception of reality and feel like there is no way out. If people like Mr. Chen steps in, they may be able to help the person work through their problem and save the person's family from a lot of unnecessary grief.
This is quite the interesting audio clip. I found it to be very touching hearing the man's story and the incredible work that Mr. Chen is trying to do....
I do believe that Mr. Chen and other potential bystanders have the right to intervene if they believe that someone is trying to commit suicide. In my opinion, they are not only potentially stopping the individual from suicide, but also reducing the trauma that may occur to other bystanders that may witness the suicide. I feel that if you are going to attempt suicide in a public location, others have the right to step in. As a mandatory reporter and a professional in the social work field I have ethical responsibilities to inform law inforcement if I have reasons to believe that an individual is a threat to themselves or someone else. I feel that if I were to encounter someone about to attempt suicide in a public setting, I would have an ethical and on some level a moral responsibility to intervene on some level. This may sound harsh, but if an individual wants to ensure that no one will intervene, a public location is not appropriate.
Before listening to the audioclip, I never really heard of or thought about people, or ‘watchmen’, who patrol bridges in search of people who may want to commit suicide. I think it’s very noble of Mr. Chen to do what he does. I think he truly wants to help other people and that is evident by the fact that he spends most of his day patrolling the bridge instead of with his family. He also counsels some of the people he saves either on the bridge or back in his office which suggests he’s willing to help them with their problems. One thing that I don’t necessarily agree with is the way Mr. Chen went about talking to the people he was trying to save. His words were a little harsh, but I guess if it made someone step off the end of the bridge then it must work in some cases.
Having said this, I think people like Mr. Chen, or even just a passerby, have the right to stop people who might attempt to commit suicide. Maybe getting a new perspective from someone else might make that person rethink their decision. It’s also possible that some people Mr. Chen has saved from jumping off the bridge found some other way to end their life even after Mr. Chen tried to help them.
As for the legality of suicide, I don’t think laws against committing suicide are that successful as a deterrent. As I said before, there are many ways people can commit suicide and if someone’s at that point I don’t think they’re thinking about it being illegal or not.
The fact that 1 person per week commits suicide from this bridge was unreal. I just can’t imagine how Mr. Chen deals with seeing the things he sees. The audio clip mentioned that some of the people he tries to save end up jumping off the bridge—this has to be a horrible thing to witness for any bystander. One question I thought about at the end of the clip was why don’t other people try to save people from committing suicide? This also made me question whether or not I would intervene if I was on a bridge and saw someone who was going to jump off the edge….I hope I never have to find out.
This clip was very intriguing. I have never heard of a suicide 'watchman'. I do not take Mr. Chen's actions as inappropriate or taking away one's rights. If you think about why people make a choice to end their lives, with the exception of a possible terminal illness, it is usually because of a situation they feel is something they cannot get through. This is usually not the case, and they need help to enable them to cope with the problem and overcome it. Do people have the right to take their own life? Maybe, but I also feel people have the right to be given a second chance for life in a moment of weakness. While Mr. Chen's ways are unconventional, very few would argue that he is not saving lives that would otherwise end. I could see some people who Mr. Chen saves being angry, but I can also see it as people feeling they are getting another chance. As Paterini stated in the interview, Mr. Chen is actually risking his own life to save another. He said these people are so desperate that they will take you down with them. I am a big believer in individual rights. Is Mr. Chen intervening in another's private life, yes. Does he have the right to do so, probrably not, but the bigger picture to this story is that he is saving lives. He is sending the message that taking one's own life is not the answer.
While listening to this clip, I was also thinking about how Mr. Chen must feel. He knows that one person a week commits suicide by jumping off this bridge. He must feel a compelling pressure all day every day to stop these people. I get the feeling he feels a certain responsibility to stop people from jumping. This would be a huge weight to carry, yet he does it every day. When asking the question, does Mr. Chen have the right to do this, I would respond that if in a situation of stopping someone from committing suicide, I would stop them. People committing suicide are feeling a moment of weakness and feeling like they cannot escape the situation they are in. I feel it is important to save these peoples' lives. Mr. Chen has dedicated his life to this cause and to fault him for it or say that he does not have the right would be like saying a doctor is wrong for trying to save a life.
One person per WEEK kills themself on this bridge? That is the first thing that popped out in my head when I listened to this. This statistic is astounding and incredibly scary. And this is just in one country, on one bridge. This doesn't even account for the number of other people in other countries that kill themselves on bridges or even kill themselves in general. It makes me wonder how many people per week are successful in their attempts to commit suicide. I really have to applaud the watchman who took it upon himself to save the lives of people who wanted to commit suicide on the bridge. He is truly a lifesaver. This whole exerpt made me incredibly sad. What is even more depressing than the statistic of how many people commited suicide on the bridge is the fact that there are even more people that have considered it and even went to the bridge in attempt to follow-through with their desire to commit suicide before being stopped by the watchman.
It makes me wish there had been someone there when the young man from a Waterloo high school took his own life on one of our bridges. His death had an impact on the entire community.
Personally, I am not sure if people have a right to kill themselves or not. There are instances where I most definitely think that the person should not be able to commit suicide (like a depressed teenager or a young person who wants to "get back" at their parents), but then there are other times where I can justify taking your own life.
For example, I think people have the right to commit suicide when they are in a lot of pain and/or face a terminal illness they know they will never recover from. In my opinion, it is acceptable to commit suicide in this case. It is more respectful for your family, as well. While you still are able to, you can get your affairs in order and you can take care of any potential unfinished business you might have. You can explain to your family that you are doing this so that no one will experience the pain you have to go through and your family will have the comfort of knowing that you will be in a better place and that death is better than watching their loved one slowly deteriorate and go through more pain every single day. My family and I have actually have had discussions about this similar thing. My mom and I are both in agreement that if, heaven forbid, either one of us should live in a vegetative state, or a state where we have an ailment that is painful and hard to get rid of (like Lou Gherig's disease) we would want someone to pull the plug or even take our own lives if we were able to and got our affairs in order. No one should have to live in that much pain.
However, if you are contemplating suicide because you are depressed, I do not think people have the right to take their own life. It is their life, yes, and they have the right to live it as they please, however when you throw death into the mix, you are bringing dozens, if not hundreds and even thousands of people into it. Like I mentioned in the previous assignment, I am personally of the opinion that suicide (more often than not) is a slightly selfish act, especially if there are ways out there to get help (which there are). No one has to live with depression forever. There is always someone out there that can help you get through it and there is also almost always someone out there who can relate, if not trump, what you are going through who can relate to you and help you cope with whatever it happens to be that you are going through.
Everyone goes through times in their lives where they don't feel like they will make it through. Everyone faces difficult times, relationship troubles, financial troubles, etc.,etc.,etc. Taking your own life is most definitely not the answer as there is always someone or something to help you make it through and support you.
Personally, I think that people like the watchman have the right to intervene and try and stop people from acts of suicide (again, in some cases). If the person is facing a lifetime of unbearable and painful physical problems and limitations, they should let the person do as they please. Can they talk to the person about it to make sure the decision is well thought out and rationalized first? Of course. But stop them if their mind is made up? No.
On the other hand, if there is a depressed person that wants to take their life, especially in a public place like the bridge in the clip we listened to, people do have the right to intervene. They can help make sure the person gets the help they need and deserve to overcome their depression and suicidal thoughts and keep the person from making a drastic mistake.
I always think of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" when I think about suicide. Anyone who contemplates suicide should think about the different people and other aspects of their life that would be drastically altered (and not always for the better)before they even think about trying to commit suicide. If I ever get incredibly depressed, I also think about this. Not because I am suicidal, but because it is important to think of all the good things in your life and how things would be different without you. It also gives you a good feeling sometimes, especially when you think about all you do for where you work ("This company would be down the river without a paddle if it weren't for me!"). It makes you feel better about yourself. If you have someone to remind you of things like that when you face suicidal thoughts, then you should be thanking them.
I was shocked at how many people tried to commit suicide just in this one area. I think that Mr. Chen is doing a great thing. Mr. Chen is trying to help others that feel that they have no hope. From readings I've done, it seems that the vast majority of people who survive suicide attempts are very glad that they do and go on to find solutions to their problems. I do think that we have a responability to help others, especially those that want to hurt themselves. People who try to commit suicide often don't think about what their actions are going to do to the people around them, or that there is a way out. I think it's our job to be there for them and help them realize that there are other solutions and that they will be hurting more than just themselves. I'm not quite sure I agree with his harsh attitude, but I'm not sure that he does that with everyone, and not everyone will respond to kindness. Sometimes people need to be told that they are doing something stupid and wrong in no uncertain terms. Mr. Chen does seem to be a good judge of character. I was impressed that he was able to save so many, but, like they said, you can't save everyone. I would feel bad over the people I couldn't save. I'm glad that Mr. Chen's feelings don't keep him from doing this. It's bringing awareness that's badly needed to this issue. I don't believe that people SHOULD commit suicide and I don't think it's a answer to anything. However, deciding whether people have a RIGHT to commit suicide is a little different. Because I personally believe in God, I feel that He has a plan for all of us, and that includes a time to die. I don't think it should be up to me to decide when to go; that's for Him to decide. However, I do respect the fact that many people don't share my religious beliefs and may feel that they do have that right. I also think that just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean you should. You have the right to not eat healthy and pig out on junk all the time, but that doesn't mean that you should and that if you do, you won't suffer from various health problems. Ultimitely, I'm spilt. On one hand, since we have free will, we have the right to do what we want. On the other hand, I don't believe that we have the right to hurt others. Suicide affects so much more than the person, and hurts so many others, not just the person trying to do it. I don't think that we have a moral right to commit suicide, though we may have a physical right.
This story is very shocking and unusual. It’s shocking because I had no idea there was a place in the world that was essentially known for being a suicide location. It’s unusual because of Mr. Chen and his actions. Mike tells this story of Mr. Chen. I think he is doing a good thing and his heart is in the right place but I do not understand how someone could handle that situation every single weekend. Also, he does counseling at his office and takes calls and texts. I understand the counseling but the bridge patrolling is mind boggling. How could anyone take on this task of watching a 4 mile long bridge and trying to save anyone who wants to jump off? Knowing that he has saved over 100 people makes me believe that what Mr. Chen is doing is worth it. Saving one life is worth it but over 100 is astounding. What makes this story real is Mike’s account when he was there. He actually stopped a jumper himself. I think Mr. Chen is doing a highly stressful but wonderful thing.
I don’t know if I can say one way or the other is people have the right to kill themselves. One part of me wants to say that it’s their life and they should be able to make decisions for themselves. One percentage of people who kill themselves on the bridge was categorized as terminally ill. I think that if a person knows they will die and have to suffer on the way then maybe they should have the right to end their life without suffering. On the other hand, many people who are given a certain amount of time to live actually make it longer than that and some people who are told they will probably suffer do not feel as uncomfortable as predicted. Good things do happen.
A greater part of me wants to say that people should not feel like suicide is even a choice. I think this part of me mainly comes from my religious background and my faith. I also believe in things happening for a reason. This would not be something that I would push on someone who does not believe in a higher power. But people can get help in coping with whatever hardships they are going through. I think the right thing to do is get help to deal with the stress and emotions involved in an individual’s situation and I don’t believe that suicide is the answer.
I think Mr. Chen does have the right to stop these people. I feel this way because he has helped people. He has saved lives. He’s doing something others are not doing and he is noticing what many others do not. I think he is brave and heroic. I don’t see this as interfering in strangers’ decisions; I see it as intervening in a situation that is a public issue. If he were breaking into strangers’ houses and stopping them from killing themselves then that would be going too far. This bridge is open to the public. Mr. Chen is just doing what he thinks is right and I believe he is performing great acts of service to these people.
I thought this piece was extremely interesting. For Mr. Chen to take on this kind of “employment” on his own is an amazing situation. I began to think of how he deals with his job on an emotional level. With hearing all these peoples’ stories and dealing with people at their most vulnerable in what they thought would be the last moments of their life, I can only imagine the experiences he has on a regular basis.
Suicide is a heavy issue to everyone generally. Since youth we are taught that suicide is this horrible action that some take when they feel they have no other option. It seems unimaginable to so many, unless you’ve actually been in that moment yourself. I personally believe we all have the right to kill ourselves, it doesn’t mean I think anyone should do it. I also think Mr. Chen has the right to “stop them” and by that I mean he has the right to attempt to talk to them. I make the distinction only because if someone wanted to jump, they could and he may not be able to actually stop them. What Mr. Chen is doing is starting a conversation, giving value to feelings, allowing validation to occur to someone’s situation at a moment they are their most vulnerable. This is a strikingly amazing man who shapes and changes lives, speaking not only of the individuals he interacts directly with, but also individuals that he has never met/spoken with/laid eyes upon in his life. The families, friends, acquaintances of the individuals who may have jumped if Mr. Chen was not there may never know the influence that he had on their lives.
Mr. Chen broke down the reasons people end up on the bridge into main categories. He estimates that 60% are there for emotional problems, 20% are there because of some type of illness, 10% are there due to domestic violence, and 10% are there because of some explosive crisis occurring in their lives. The clip stated that Mr. Chen had saved 174 people since beginning in 2003, counseled 5,150, talked on the phone to 16,000, text with 21,000 in his 646 days of doing this. That means, on average, 112 lives a day or 5 lives an hour have been impacted or saved. If only each of us were able to or had the ability to impact that many lives in a positive way…It makes you think about the power we all have.
This was an interesting, intense piece. I think what Mr. Chen does is amazing; however, he could go about it more nicely. Saying “I should punch you in the face” is not exactly a good way to make someone feel better about a situation. I think he could handle it a little differently and not make them feel even worse and even guiltier. I do think that he has the right to try to stop them. Everyone has the right to try to stop someone from killing themselves. The person doesn’t have to listen, but just the impact of someone trying to stop them may be enough. Maybe we should have more people who care about others this way and try to help them realize they don’t have to end it. If he wants to spend his days trying to save others, why shouldn’t he be able to? What harm is he doing? The amount of people he has saved is amazing. I couldn’t believe that 1 person a week jumps off the bridge. I couldn’t even imagine being there to see that happen. I know if I was in the same position as him, I would try to stop the people. While it may not have been a bridge, I have intervened several times when people I knew or talked to have been trying to kill themselves. They thank me to this day. I think that many people would be thankful. While they may not realize they have other options now, things will get better and life will go on. Giving them the chance to realize that is what Mr. Chen does.
As for whether or not people should have the right to kill themselves, that is a tough one. I think, probably, that people have the right to end their own lives if they want. Why should someone be forced to suffer if they do not want to? One big reason I say this is that there are a lot of people who are in such pain from accidents, disease, etc. that really have nothing more to look forward to in life. Sometimes if there is nothing that can be done to help them, their existence is filled with such misery that every day is a struggle. For the most part, these people don’t make rash decisions about wanting to die; they make the decision based on a long time of pain and suffering. While killing yourself has terrible effects on others, we can’t live for others; we have to live for us. As selfish as that may sound, we get this one chance at life, and if that one chance is going to cause so much pain that we aren’t living anyways, what’s the point? As is obvious, I think that the right to kill yourself goes along a continuum. It isn’t just a yes or no answer. Obviously there are certain circumstances that would warrant a different answer. Say a teenager breaks up with their boyfriend/girlfriend; they may be in such misery and think that the world is no longer worth living. They have such a narrow view that I think it would be wrong for them to kill themselves; however, they have the free will to choose to do it or not. Technically they have the “right”, but it isn’t right, if you know what I mean. It is a confusing matter. Teenagers literally don’t have the brain capacity to see the big picture, so they can’t make an informed decision about it. If someone is that determined to kill themselves though, they will.
The bottom line is, like I said before, that I think people like Mr. Chen are vital in life to help people make these informed decisions. I would bet that most of them would thank him and say that he is a hero to them. I am thankful everyday for the people in my life that helped me make my informed decision.
It was very interesting to actually hear of someone who will take it upon themselves to try stop others from making a life ending decision. It seems he has no real motive (personal or otherwise) behind helping strangers and when questioned, he seemed reluctant to talk about such matters. However, the fact that someone is at least trying to help make a difference can be all the impact someone might need who is confused and hurting.
This is a difficult question to answer, especially if thinking in terms of those who are dying (such as the elderly in hospice or those with degenerative diseases). However, in the case of those who are depressed, suicidal, or unstable emotionally I would say while it is their body (so technically they should have a right) does not make it right. I do not think it is okay for someone to let another die because said person believes they have the right to kill themselves.
With saying this, I think the watchmen Mr. Chen has should be able to do what he believes is right. He seems to be honestly interested in saving people’s lives and even though his way can be seen as somewhat aggressive, I believe it still is helpful to those who need help right away. Also, when I think back to some of the things Mr. Chen would say to the people who tried to commit suicide (such as “I’m going to punch you in the face for doing this…what would your family think…”). I think being in a collective society like China versus an individualistic America, this sort of aggressive discussion involving the family would be quite common. Also, it does not seem as if any harm has come from Chen’s certain way of speaking to those unstable individuals.
What are your thoughts on this piece?
Wow. What an interesting story told. I can not imagine the burden you would feel everyday trying to save peoples lives. I think what was especially interesting to me was how Mr. Chen handled the situation by telling the man, I'm going to punch you in the face. What a way to try to stop someone from killing themselves. I think the whole "you're a son" speech would have a great impact without telling the man he was going to punch him. And how strange would it be to be a bystander in all of this and thinking "do I intervene if he does try to punch him?" I found this story very interesting and diverse from our culture. I highly doubt a cop in the U.S. would tell someone, if you try to kill yourself, I'm going to punch you in the face. Also, i couldn't believe that every day someone tried to kill themselves on this bridge, that's a huge number of suicides. And how their government much differ from ours very much because, I'm sure here in the U.S. the government would step in if people were committing suicide daily on a specific bridge.
Do people have a right to kill themselves?
I honestly don't know. I think that people have an individual right and their bodies are their own, but suicide is such a loaded topic. People say that suicide is an individual thing that a person deals with, but I disagree there because people around that individual are extremely hurt and suffer a great deal of pain when they lose someone to suicide so I feel that, yeah people can do what they want to express themselves as an individual, but people also are effected by those actions and it hurts people around you when you do negative things to yourself.
Does this self-proclaimed watchmen have the right to try to stop them?
I think that he is trying to do the right thing, but the way that he handles the situation is not in a professional manner. I think it's a good thing that someone is trying to show people that there is a reason for living and nothing is worth dying for, but I also think it needs to be dealt with by someone who could properly handle the situation and had experience with people whom try to commit suicide.
This was a very surprising story. I was blown away by one man's dedication to prevent suicides, especially on such a large scale. Trying to guard a 4 mile long bridge on your own is a huge task to undertake.
I was really impressed with his desire to help people. However, I agree with those above who questioned Mr. Chen's word choice. It might be a cultural difference (the individualistic/collective society) that made him scold the man and remind him of the impact his choice might have on others. Even so, threatening to "punch him in the face" is probably not the best way to go about calming someone down.
It was shocking to hear the statistics telling how many people Mr. Chen had interacted with/counseled. My question is then, what is his profession? What qualifies him to handle mentally unstable individuals?
As far as whether suicides should be stopped, I wonder if Mr. Chen has ever been stopped by police or anyone who says they have a right to kill themselves. Or is it that there are so many people a day on that bridge that no one is able to identify him and keep him from his work? It seemed like he was somewhat recognized on his moped if the people cleared out when they saw him coming.
I personally am torn like some of you about whether people should be 'allowed' to kill themselves. I am a Christian, so I believe that God has the final say in when we leave this Earth. I don't think we should be able to take matters into our own hands, although I sometimes do see how the euthanasia of terminally ill patients is more understandable. I see that as more acceptable once other options have been exhausted.
I think Mr. Chen means well with his watchman status, but I think it could become an uncontrolled problem itself if he tries to take everything into his own hands. Like he mentioned, some people wouldn't think twice about taking you overboard with them. And again, what kind of counseling is Mr. Chen giving these suicidal people? Who's to say he's not making things worse? I acknowledge that he has indeed saved lives and that fact is wonderful, I just question his methods.
I wonder if Mr. Chen didn't wnat to talk too much to the reporter because he knew first hand of the dark side of what he does. The idea that sticks with me is how the reporter says he went looking for something because he had lost his sense of humanity. Here is this guy who willingly saves lives on a regular basis, what a great guy! But then there's the flip side. There's the hundreds of people who want to throw themselves off the side of a bridge, people who's stories are filled with hurt and loss and sadness that most of us can't fathom. Of course there's those who just need a wakeup call to snap them back into thinking the world is a tollerable place to be.
I don't think I could be that person up stopping people from jumping. I want to say that I have such a love for my fellow man, that my heart is big enough I could be a hero. But I'm also a realist. I know every person's story would break my heart and make me hate living in a world where people hurt so deeply. And even worse, for every person I couldn't stop... I would feel like it was my own inadequacies... if only I could have done more!
I don't think we should condone suicide for the masses, but if I was told I was going to face a long painful death I hope no one would tell me I had to die that way, that I couldn't take it upon myself to pass in the way I choose. However I feel the majority of suicides are not commited by those who have no option but death, but by teenagers who don't know what life will give them after highschool, those who don't want to be held accountable for what theyve done to others, those who act out of desperation ane those who have lost hope entirely. The topic of suicide is not unfamilliar at my house, My husbands father committed suicide twenty five years ago this valentines day. I have had to re-evaluate how i look at suicide when I can still see the effects of it decades afterwards. My husband has never bought chocolates in February, he has an aversion to lacey hearts and cherubs. How can something so damaging be acceptable?
So do I think "the watchman" has a right to stop these people? I don't think I have the grounds to say yes or no. I think its a personal dynamic between the watchman and the jumper... maybe some want to be saved. perhaps theres a few who woke up and realized this was not the answer to their problems. There's also those who feel the watchman doesn't have the right to stop people... those are the one's who jumped anyhow, those who are so desperate that they would take you with them. Mr Chen can pick a suicidal person out of a crowd spanning a four mile bridge... perhaps he can also tell who can be saved, and who can't.
Before listening to this audio clip, I had no idea that this was such a problem in China’s culture. I think that’s its remarkable to think that one man was so disturbed by the amount of suicides in his population that he takes it upon himself to restrain these people from committing suicide. In addition to some of the truly horrible stories that are listed in the audio clip, there are also some very heroic stories and statistics about Mr. Chen. The astounding number of lives that he was able to save by patrolling this bridge is staggering, yet the people that he was unable to save seem to have the stories that stuck out the most. The image of the lady who jumped before Mr. Chen could reach her as she was yelling for help in the river stuck with me as the audio clip continues. The most amazing thing that stands out to me about Mr. Chen is his modesty. He doesn’t see himself as a hero or someone who saves lives, but more as his duty or job to try and help these people with their problems. The fact that he was so determined and concentrated while he was on the bridge (as the interviewer was trying to observe him and ask him about his tactics) shows the dedication that he has to save these people.
It’s hard to say whether or not Mr. Chen has the right to save these people or not. It seems as though they talk about the survivors as though they are grateful, though it is hard to tell when Mr. Chen holds anger towards those who have attempted to kill themselves. Mr. Chen sees it as disgraceful to the Chinese culture to commit suicide, so it seems as though the survivors look at Mr. Chen as more of an authority figure after they have been saved, rather than some sort of angel or savior. This seems to be very consistent with the Chinese cultures, who are very collectivist in nature. The view that by committing suicide you are hurting the whole community is very a collectivist way to think. This brings me to wonder whether or not we would have people like Mr. Chen in America. If there was a bridge like this that was known for suicidal jumps, would anyone stop to help or stop these people from killing themselves? America is known for its individualistic manner. It seems that if this was happening in America, most people would just let it happen rather than stopping that person and telling them that they are a disgrace to our culture. America just doesn’t really work that way.
So, I think that in collectivist cultures, like China, Mr. Chen’s behaviors are more acceptable. I think that people respect each other more in those types of populations, where as if it were to happen in a Western Culture people may not take it as well. We seem to think that it is our right to kill ourselves if we want to, whereas other cultures see it as everyone’s loss when there is a suicide. It’s these conflicting ideals between our cultures that causes for confusion when trying to choose if Mr. Chen is “right” in stopping the jumpers.
When I first saw the site and heard this audio I was shocked to hear that there is a bridge one, that is four miles long, and two that is "famous" for how many people commit suicide by jumping off of this particular bridge. it was said that it averages one suicide per week. That is high for any city, let alone a specific bridge. I know man cultures have many different spiritual beliefs, but being from the culture that I am I think the statement by a mother that the bridge is "haunted" is nonsense. Unfortunately with the high suicide rate that this bridge possesses, being haunted wouldn't sound too crazy to believe.
I don't feel it is our place as humans to decided what we believe is others' "rights". So to say it isn't someone's right to kill themselves is selfish of us. People have the right to do absolutely whatever they want to do. It is nobody else's decision but their. But personally, I feel suicide is a selfish act because those who commit it do it because of their own "personal" issues, but don't consider those in their life who love and depend on them. Rather it's children, spouse, parents, co-workers, or anybody else who's life you play an important role in. I am a religious person so I may have different beliefs on this specific topic than others, but being strong in my beliefs I believe nothing in life is worth killing yourself over.
As far as the watchmen goes, I respect what he is doing trying to prevent people from committing suicide, but at the end of the day it's "their" life so it's up to them what they choose to do with it. I understand trying to "talk" them out of doing it, but physically grabbing them is not only risky, but it's not his place to do so. Especially if he doesn't know them personally. I can honestly say if a friend or family member of mines was attempting to commit suicided I would, without a doubt, attempt to stop them for my own selfish reasons for loving them. But they are a personal part of my life and I feel I have an obligation to give them a second look on life and prevent them from making the mistake of taking their life away.
It was touching to hear the watchmen tell his story of how he saved a man from jumping. You could feel the sincerity and fear in his voice when he told the story. I could only imagine being in his shoes at the specific moment. Knowing that you saved someone's life could feel good, but also when you think of what could have happened in reverse would be terrifying.