Can of Worms #8

Worm #17: Should euthanasia be legalised?
The long and short of it: Yes.

My say: I don't get it: if we have a bad day and jump off the roof, that's legal, but ending your life when you're extremely ill and incurable is illegal. I believe we all have the power of life and death over ourselves, and we have the right to end our lives and ask others to help end our lives in times of great pain.

I do, however, think that this should be regulated; all too often you hear of elderly people being despatched just so that greedy offspring can lay hands on the cash flow. There must be proof of illness; there must be proof that it cannot be cured, or cannot be cured without extremely invasive procedures. There must be proof of little hope of a good quality of life.

I don't really think that family members should really have any say in it; it's a personal decision. It should, however, be approved by doctors, and I think religious pressure groups have no right to say when I die.

If someone I loved was truly terminally ill and in a lot of pain and asked me to help them end their life I would do it, and I wouldn't feel bad about it regardless of the consequences. There, I said it.


Worm #18: Is it okay to go elsewhere for sex if you're not getting any at home?
The long and short of it: No.

My say: If you're married or in a relationship it is definitely not okay to contemplate going elsewhere for sex, regardless of the circumstances. We live in the sexualized world where we completel detatch sex from any emotion or sentiment, where wife and whore are interchangeable. If your spouse is pregnant, just had a baby, injured, ill...get over it. As a spouse, you should have more compassion and respect.

However, I do think that many people feel deprived in relationships where lack of communication has led to sexual problems. For example, if you're not married and your partner wants to wait until the wedding night, think about it: is there any chance for a compromise? How important is it to my partner and/or her family and their beliefs? Is one guilty night worth jeopardising a relationship? I don't think call girls are going to solve the problem in the long run; a good relationship relies on communication in all things, and so maybe you'll just have to bite the bullet and have the sex talk. It's not that hard. I don't think.