• yeahiknow3@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I defer to you on whether your particular life was worth living. The question is why you would want to live if your mind, your character and memories were gone — if you were a burden on those around you and could no longer engage in self-reflection or abstract reasoning. What would be the point?

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Because that isn’t what dementia necessarily is. My father recognized me when he was down to doing child-level jigsaw puzzles and even though he had a much more primitive mind, he was still him in essence, that wasn’t gone. Not everything goes in every case.

      • yeahiknow3@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Dementia is a spectrum of neuropathology, so you’ve effectively ignored my question. But ok, let’s go with your specific example. Why would you keep your father alive in such an undignified state? You’re describing him as playing with “child-level jigsaw puzzles,” meaning he’s barely sentient and someone has to wipe his ass, which is a horrifying indignity. Literally my idea of hell. Are you punishing him? Are you punishing yourself?

        Humans are supposed to transcend the mortal realm, so why this obsession with remaining alive even at the expense of everyone around you? I guess I’ll never get an answer.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Would I keep my father alive? No, because he’s not me. I thought we were talking about what I would do with my own life.

          And I gave you my answer- I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t want to end my life unless it has to end. It’s not that you’ll never get an answer, it’s that you don’t like the answer you were given.

          • yeahiknow3@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            And I gave you my answer- I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t want to end my life unless it has to end.

            WHY? That’s what I’m asking you. You haven’t even attempted to answer this question.

            You don’t like the answer

            You haven’t given an answer, and my guess is you don’t have one. Perhaps the reason you would want to live, even with dementia, is a mystery to you. That’s fine, but just say so.