Life Is Overrated

The poem, To the Mercy Killers, by Dudley Randall is by far a poem which tackles the subject of euthanasia right up to its target: the “Killers”. The “Killers” unfairly portrayed in a negative light evokes pity for the terminally ill. For most, subjected to the absolute conditioning of society, the division of beliefs regarding the topic has evolved into a never ending moral dilemma. Euthanasia or mercy killing may seem like a confusing subject that tackles the moral, legal, medical and ethical issues. The idea mind boggles society and even Randall is somewhat unsure about which side to take, although the last line settles everything with: “Do not put my life. Let me still glow” (14), when there is nothing bright about the idea of being robbed off, of the life as a human.

Life in its simplest sense is essentially a characteristic that distinguishes the animate and self-sustaining creations of the universe from the inanimate ones. Death, without associating with human emotion and sentiment, is only the ceasing of such characteristics. Life in a human is clearly far more complex compared to the other existing forms on this planet. The ability to think, along with the possession of higher conscious and greater awareness of its surroundings, makes a human somewhat special in certain aspects. The life of a human, differentiated by its intelligence, makes the experiences stimulating and exhilarating. Pain, an experience felt by a human and restricted only to the living world, is an indicator of damage and in many cases the very cause for death. Most living organisms blessed with the ability to detect pain and use this sensory tool involuntarily to avoid its own destruction or death. For a human, pain could be emotional, psychologic...

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...ly a duty and mercy killing is a viable option regardless of religion, beliefs and law.

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Doerflinger, Richard. “Pope John Paul II affirms obligation to feed patients in the “vegetative” state”. National Right to Life.org. 26 April 2004. Web. 8 July 2011.

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Randall, Dudley. “To The Mercy Killers”, 1973. 28 February 2011. Web. 8 July 2011.