Removing the mentally incapable from society

Nick McIntyre · December 19, 2014, 12:15:34 PM

So while idling about at work today, I randomly thought back to a topic a friend of mine brought up in health class at school. We were watching a video on a mentally handicapped person and how she had to be taken care of her entire life.

My friend, to great controversy among the class, said that mentally handicapped people should just be put out of their misery since they do nothing productive in society and just drain resources. Of course I was a bleeding heart liberal in high school and likened his stance to the Nazi movement.

However, now that I explore topics more without instantly demonizing them, I think to myself "What if he has a point?" I would never advocate for ending human life, but he does have a valid point that the mentally handicapped do nothing for society and must be taken care of their whole lives. I know if I were ever places in that position in my life, I'd rather kill myself than to have my family and friends' stress levels rise because they have to take care of my basic daily routines, such as eating and shitting.

What do you guys think? I'm still strongly against this practice but it is something to think about.

More Than Mortal · December 19, 2014, 12:22:13 PM

Totally for it, in the instance of public care.

If you want to privately care for a mentally arrested person - go ahead. I'm sure many charities would also pop up in order to prolong such people's lives too.

The government, however, has no obligation to care for the useless and the unproductive. Killing them seems to be the best course of action.

Word Wizard · December 19, 2014, 12:39:20 PM

I would never wish that upon our overlords.

Naru · December 19, 2014, 12:45:04 PM

I just think we should gather them all up, and push them somewhere else.

But really, maybe some research on them so we can learn more and maybe find a way to reverse the handicap

Mr. Psychologist · December 19, 2014, 12:58:02 PM

I wouldn't support the euthanasia of people with severe mental disabilities.

I think a better option is either prevention (If at all possible) or examining the root causes more so that it can be avoided in the future.

People who are brain damaged beyond repair in an accident, I think it's acceptable to turn off life support. And hell if their other organs are good to go, they can save someone else's life with the loss of their own <.<

But assuming we are talking about people born with severely crippling mental deficiencies, then yeah, I think if there are charities willing to look after them then that's great but the state has a duty of care to all of it's citizens imo. It shouldn't just throw the retards under the bus because they are expensive to care for.

It's not the nicest thing but aborting children who would be born with worse conditions than downs syndrome isn't really a bad thing. I'd say that a better route is to pursue research into the specific causes of these problems so that it can be identified as soon as possible or in the case of IVF the DNA can be analysed for flaws prior to embryo selection <_<

Korra · December 19, 2014, 05:03:01 PM

That would be tremendously horrible. Of course not!

BaconShelf · December 19, 2014, 05:13:19 PM

Yes. What is the point putting resources into caring for people so disabled to the point they cannot do anything themselves?

Dan · December 20, 2014, 12:20:48 PM

My brother has Down Syndrome and severe mental retardation. It's morally and ethicaly wrong for doctors to allow these people to be born. All it does is cause suffering for both the parents and siblings who are often forced to care for severely incapable people.

The burden was heavy. Fortunately he is in a foster home, but too late. I already lost a good part of my childhood having to care for him.

Kinder Graham · December 20, 2014, 12:30:06 PM

if it's a single-parent or low-income situation then I can see why a parent would end the life of their disabled child; it's a heavy burden, challenging, and requires a LOT of mental strength to raise one

Super Irish · December 20, 2014, 07:30:39 PM

I think it'should better to find cures (and if not possible, cost effective measures) for those with serious mental disabilities, accidental or natural.

Or the furthest immoral, prevent those with a high risk of giving birth to a mentally handicapped child be advised against or even prevented from reproducing.

Killing or abandoning them is just outright sadistic.

Dustin · December 20, 2014, 07:38:53 PM

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Release · December 20, 2014, 08:06:35 PM

Sadly, it might be a practice utilized in the far future