When Emile Durkheim first defined the concept of suicide in the 19th century, he indicated that a major cause of it was that urban people had dislocated themselves from social settings that could provide emotional anchoring (e.g. families, churches), which caused them to live alone and ultimately die alone when they were at the greatest level of despair. And, indeed, despair remains at the heart of why suicide continues to be committed- the victims have cut themselves off, through their own actions and/or those of the people and institutions who disowned them and thus have to rely only on their own self-loathing for their company.
I don’t think suicides are concentrated in urban areas? generally suicide tracks gun ownership, and there are higher rates of gun ownership in rural areas, generally.
I never said they didn’t happen there; Durkheim was concentrating on urban areas, but the same kind of isolation and despair happens in rural parts of countries as well. And usually people have easier access to guns there….
Say it again for the people in the cheap seats. The statistical evidence is a nice touch. I enjoyed reading a fresh look at an old issue.
Typo in your title, I believe
Gah
When Emile Durkheim first defined the concept of suicide in the 19th century, he indicated that a major cause of it was that urban people had dislocated themselves from social settings that could provide emotional anchoring (e.g. families, churches), which caused them to live alone and ultimately die alone when they were at the greatest level of despair. And, indeed, despair remains at the heart of why suicide continues to be committed- the victims have cut themselves off, through their own actions and/or those of the people and institutions who disowned them and thus have to rely only on their own self-loathing for their company.
For example, Bill Withers' song "Better Off Dead" is about one such man (listen carefully at the end of the song!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWaBSvAQWqY
I don’t think suicides are concentrated in urban areas? generally suicide tracks gun ownership, and there are higher rates of gun ownership in rural areas, generally.
I never said they didn’t happen there; Durkheim was concentrating on urban areas, but the same kind of isolation and despair happens in rural parts of countries as well. And usually people have easier access to guns there….