Recently, a series of photos captured by people's phones of someone falling from a building was quite shocking to Xiao Ji. Perhaps friends who have been paying attention to the news may have already guessed which incident Xiao Ji is talking about. Yes, recently in Liuzhou, Guangxi, a man in his thirties suddenly lost control of his emotions for unknown reasons and stood on the edge of a high-rise apartment building, more than ten floors up. Later, police and his mother tried earnestly to persuade him not to do anything foolish and to come down quickly. But he remained indifferent, threatening while stepping back. At this time, not only did the gathering crowd scream in fright, but an unforeseen situation occurred — as he stepped back, the foot that bore his weight extended too far, contact with the concrete edge was too minimal, and his entire center of gravity shifted, causing him to fall. In simple terms, he missed a step. When he realized he was falling, his first reaction was to grab the edge, but due to inertia and delayed reaction, he couldn't hold on. Thus, he fell with his arms outstretched in midair, trying to grab something but grabbing nothing. This was the last scene that left others with any sense that he was still alive...
Apart from recounting this event, Xiao Ji does not intend to comment on the individual, out of respect for the deceased. The topic Xiao Ji wants friends to discuss is: how do humans perceive ‘suicide'?
Clearly, we know in our hearts that life is not something to joke with, so why do people still casually think, 'I might as well die,' and act on those thoughts to attempt suicide? The man in this incident may have truly felt despair about life, but when fate gave him the decisive 'accident' requiring him to face death, how did he react? He tried to grasp a 'lifeline'; although he initially wanted to die, when faced with real death, his actions were 'I don't want to die!' Perhaps his actions were just the innate survival instinct that humans, as living beings, naturally possess, but in the final moments of his fall, the motion of reaching out—with his hands extended—makes anyone feel how much he wanted to keep living... We do not know what he was thinking before his death, whether he regretted his suicidal action, or thought about the heartbroken face of his elderly mother. But what we do understand is — once one attempts suicide, there is absolutely no turning back.
This topic might be the heaviest one in more than twenty issues, but Xiaoji is still looking forward to the comments from friends.
Listen as Xin Yi's "A Song of Mourning" (ID: 29639) says: "Born in hardship, die in comfort. When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on someone, it first hardens their mind and will. Perhaps some people do not understand why they are born, but they will not choose to die either. Life and death rest in a single thought. People are born to eventually die; we cannot and should not stop it. If a person wants to do something, nothing can prevent them. Many people choosing to jump indicates there is still room to reconsider. No matter when, one must never take their own life; not just for oneself, but also to live for others."\(The profound reasoning of fellow student Shang makes us simply nod in agreement. Of course, he also conveys the belief Xiaoji wishes to share with friends: humans are not selfishly living creatures.)\△Rules\⑴ No insulting comments are allowed, whether directed at issues or individuals.\⑵ Only opinions related to the topic may be posted; chatting through replies, trolling, or spamming will be strictly handled, and the participant's eligibility will be revoked (all of their replies in the interactive post will also be deleted).\⑶ The interactive post will be pinned for one week from the date of publication. Afterward, Xiaoji will select the unique and meaningful replies of friends to include in the post, and then close the topic. Friends who are selected will receive a reward from Xiaoji. If you wish to review it afterward, you can find it in the special section under "2014 'One Topic a Week' Interactive Series."
"'One Topic a Week' Episode 25: The Consequences of Suicide"
Replies (16)
Thinking of the content creator 'Neu', life is indeed precious. Recently, I've also been constantly pondering why we live and what the meaning is.
When the whole world doesn't want you, remember that there's still me, I don't want you either, hehe ah hahaha...
One day, when money and power arrive, no virgins will be left in the world. For this simple ideal, I cannot die!
The historian Sima Qian once said that everyone is destined to die; death can be as weighty as Mount Tai or as light as a feather. Death itself is significant. I don't want to say much more, but as the Classic of Filial Piety states, our body, hair, and skin are received from our parents and should not be harmfully damaged. Seeking death lightly is a sign of disrespect for life and also a sign of selfishness; one may find release for oneself, but what about those who care about you? People should not live just for themselves. Don't we often say 'there are elders above and young ones below'? This shows that living also involves fulfilling our responsibilities; a person is not an independent individual. May I ask, who isn't afraid of death? And who can avoid death? If people truly weren't afraid of death, there would be no traitors or collaborators; if humans could really avoid death, Emperor Qin Shi Huang would not have spent so much effort searching for the elixir of immortality, only to ultimately fail. Do not speak of death lightly, unless you genuinely do not fear it and there is nothing in this world worth holding onto. Your death could even bring blessings to others (for example, bin Laden's death pleased the Americans). Otherwise, think thrice...
Those who want to die won't let others know, while those seeking comfort like to wait for someone to come.
Born in adversity, die in comfort. When heaven is about to assign a great responsibility to a person, it first makes his mind and will endure hardship. Some people may not understand why they are born, yet they will not choose to die. Life and death are entirely decided by a single thought. People are born to move toward death; we cannot and should not try to stop it. What a person wants to do cannot be stopped by anyone. Many people choose to jump off buildings, which indicates there is still leeway. No matter when, one must never take their own life; not just for oneself, but also to live for others.
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