Meet the Suicide Pod
Ever since man came into existence millions of years ago, technological innovations have never stood still with man not only looking to dominate each other with innovations in weaponry but continually seeking to make his existence easier by machines.
The results of the efforts channeled at innovations are what we see around us. New technologies emerge every day from the most absurd to the most insane. I came across one of the weirdest technological innovations, in my own opinion, a few days ago while surfing the internet. It is a machine meant to assist people that wish to commit suicide and make their work easier.
There is no doubt that the rate at which people are committing suicide has been on the rise in recent years. Various means are used to carry out the act as long as the aim is achieved so much so that some countries are already debating whether to legalize suicide or otherwise.
Meet Pegasos, the Suicide Pod
Looking from afar, one would think it is a fanciful ride or some space pod to complement one's experience in a visit to mars. In actual fact, the pegasos is a device that aims to make the journey of people who are tired of life and would love to cross to the other side easier and painless. To simplify it, the pegasos is a suiciding assisting machine. What a nice-looking ride to take to the other side!
Basically, the machine consists of 2 major components:
- A fancy-looking capsule
- A stand containing nitrogen gas cannister
The capsule is mounted on the gas canister.
How does it work?
The machine cannot be accessed by just anyone in order to prevent indiscriminate use and promote a suicide culture. Someone with the machine and needs to access it will undergo a mental stability test online and once passed, will get the access code that is only valid for one hour.
Once the access code is granted, users have an option of choosing between dark or transparent views from the capsule. Once inside, the press of a button, or the blinking of eyes depending on the settings, rapidly decreases the oxygen level in the pod and replaces it with nitrogen without an elevated increase in the ambient carbon dioxide concentration. Within a few minutes, the person slips into unconsciousness and crosses to the other side painlessly. source
In case a person opting to commit suicide changes their mind at the last minute, there is also an emergency exit button. Once death has been confirmed, the capsule is detached from the stand and can be used as a coffin to bury the dead. In actual fact, the pod was primarily designed to be the coffin because it is made up of biodegradable materials.
A closer look at the mechanism of operation shows that the machine kills by hypoxia and hypocapnia. When a sufficient amount of oxygen is lacking for cells and tissues of the body, ATP synthesis in the mitochondrion becomes inadequate and metabolic processes requiring ATP suffer the consequence. If the condition persists for a certain time, cells start dying one after the other until the entire body cell die-off.
Final thoughts
I am not the one to debate the morality of a technological invention as no matter or terrible or irrelevant one thinks an invention is, someone somewhere will find them useful.
The pegasos has been an object for debates among lawyers and medical folks. The inventor is optimistic about the launching of the machine in Switzerland early next year simply because analysis shows that the machine will not be breaking any law in the country. It is totally legal to assist people who are bent on committing suicide to do so in Switzerland.
Looking at it closely, issues that can emanate from the use of the machine have been taken care of. First, potential buyers/users are first certified mentally fit to make decisions, the access code has limited (24 hours) validity, and there is an emergency exit button for a last-minute change of mind. From an environmental point of view, the pod is also biodegradable. If assisted suicide is legal anywhere, the use of the pegasos should not be found wanting as well.
If you are distressed or feeling like ending it all, please seek help from appropriate quarters.
Posted with STEMGeeks
I think this machine is a bit of a solution to a first world problem. I think there are more efficient and practical, and dare I not say entertaining, ways to commit suicide :3
Efficient, Practical, Entertaining....I never knew a day would come when such beautiful adjectives would be used to qualify suicide :)
Futurama did it better.
We are already over 10 years past 2008, where are our suicide booths and hoverboards
You just need to look harder.
I didn't see this efficient, practical and entertaining machine in any episodes of Black Mirror, did I?
Okay, just when I think I won't see anything that raises my eyebrows again...
Interesting, but I would have to say that this would most likely be a wealthy person's "suicide solution".
That said, on a serious note, I do hope someone who feels suicidal that reads this would seek out someone to talk to.
Was kinda hesitant to write on the topic but was too fascinated to ignore. The draft has been lying for some time now. I really do hope people will speak out more instead of bottling it all inside. At the end of the day, you can only try your best to convince, you can't actually dictate in places where suicide is not illegal.
I'm glad you shared it. It is an intriguing piece of tech with a very questionable use-case.
Is this for real? We know that people will do anything to make life comfortable. And surprisingly even trying to discover ways to die peacefully and painless.
Humans invent ways to kill fellow humans more easily and efficiently. This should totally not be surprising
Yes true which make this world so messed up I guess.
https://twitter.com/gentleshaid/status/1471131943936966658
The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the person sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.
That part alone is disturbing. It's far too easy to get "cheat sheets", and potentially the test might not even be taken by the one who ends up in the pod.
The granting of a code is another issue. Who is to say that the one certified mentally fit is the one using it? A family member could easily coerce an ill child, parent, etc into doing it, and unless they have already been proven incompetent, who would know?
The final thing, I didn't see anywhere in that article a requirement to get counseling before deciding that life isn't worth it any more.
The machine itself seems like a terrible idea to me, but no worse than other forms of suicide.
Just like gun ownership. There can never be a mid point. But we live in a world where people can protest for their right to suicide.
There's no question that it's available to anyone who is determined. I'm just saying that we don't need to make it so acceptable that people are going to throw away their life and others just wish them well on their trip, as if they're moving to a new city. Or worse yet, guilt trip those they view as a burden into doing it.
Hmmm, wonders shall never end! Reading it for the first time
Azzin....e dey somehow.
Thanks for your contribution to the STEMsocial community. Feel free to join us on discord to get to know the rest of us!
Please consider delegating to the @stemsocial account (80% of the curation rewards are returned).
Please consider including @stemsocial as a beneficiary to get a stronger support.
Your content has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!
Use Ecency daily to boost your growth on platform!
Support Ecency
Vote for new Proposal
Delegate HP and earn more
Suicide aside I'm rather surprised this hasn't been mandated for executions in the US. The cocktail they give is not for sure going to kill where as the nitrogen would. Seems more fool proof and humane.
The manufacturer is launching it in Switzerland where assisted suicide is not illegal. I don't know about the law on sui3in the US but I can bet this can't pass in the US without some group protesting.
The Republican Party is too superstitious, sorry, religious. People argue that that holds back some "progressive" policies. Is the right to commit suicide a progressive policy? Maybe. Who knows!
Suicide is one of those subjects I try to stay away from when it comes to debates. I have got my personal view that won't change irrespective of the argument. I also respect other people's choices or opinions.
Opinions and choices don't deserve respect; people do. In other words, we respect the fact that people are entitled to have an opinion, a choice, a belief, etc.
I heard that there was a prisoner in the United States who survived his execution several times, as the procedures failed to kill him. I believe he even had the opportunity to sue the state or the prison for violating his human rights, as he suffered every time they failed to kill him and it seemed that the officials abused him.
That is not an isolated incident with lethal injections, with the chair there was "misses" that survived and people managed to survive hangings too. The nitrogen would be WAY more certain than most other options and would negate the possibility of a failed execution or suicide.
@flemingfarm: I think you overlook the desire to punish. Many who advocate for the death penalty in the U.S. have retribution in mind. And, many would never spring for the money. Eye for an eye, but cheap.
Mmmmmhhhhh... I guess a "what the hell" may be the right comment.... However, this thing is definitely a potential tool for the Western world (I agree with @mathowl there). Pffff...
Yea. If they are gonna legalise suicide, they'd better make it fanciful
Fanciful! Ahaha! (I am however unsure I should laugh :) )
This is in demand? I speculate that there must be a well-defined set of conditions to engage in this business: Lots of people who want to commit suicide, from the country with the right legislation and with enough money.
I think it should be available when it comes to euthanasia.
UPDATES:
LOL. You're being a bit too euphemistic. I know it can be a somehow awkward subject though.
I threaded with caution cos I know that the subject is a touchy one. Don't wanna start a flag war or destructive debates under the comment section. I also tried not to impose my personal views on the subject.
I know. This is why there are conventions and on how to write a text in a neutral way, like those people try to use on Wikipedia or in a paper, but it's a different writing style. "Crossing to the other side" is a softened way of just saying "to die", which is the ultimate meaning. The wording can make it more artistic or more thoughtful, which also suggests that's how you wanted to put it, which could suggest a few things about your view in the end :)
Guess there's no way to actually be neutral in the real sense :)
Awesome! I'm a longtime euthanasia advocate. Now all we need is an immortality pod!
And would that work?
Hopefully.
What if while inside a person changes their mind midway? Isn't there an 'I changed my mind' button?
The emergency exit button is there, of course.
Okay
Congratulations @gentleshaid! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next target is to reach 35000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!
This pod looks like a fancy coffin to me. I wouldn't want to spend my last moments closed up in one of those things. Somebody has to come up with a better idea for those of us with claustrophobia :))
Seriously, I agree with some of the other comments here. An online survey for mental health just doesn't cut it. One doesn't want to hand out these pods too freely. It's not like you can change your mind after the fact.
An interesting article, @gentleshaid
A device that grant slow painless passage to the other side. Talk about good and yet not so good.
Might be not so good to some people. To others, this is the next best thing.