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Internet Suicide Pacts Surge in Japan

darkmonkeh writes "The number of Japanese who killed themselves in online suicide pacts rose sharply last year, according to the BBC. Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and the pacts may appeal to those scared to die alone. These Japanese internet 'suicide clubs' accounted for at least 26 deaths in the last 2 months."

6 of 571 comments (clear)

  1. The key question... by TheCowardofAnonymous · · Score: 0, Troll

    What affect will this have on the American economy? I mean, the Japanese are killing themselves, does this mean lower competition for jobs here?

  2. Re:Blown out of proportion... by pla · · Score: 1, Troll

    True, but is it a trend on the rise? If so, maybe they can nip it in the bud.

    Hate to have to inject the voice of reason into this, but...

    Why?

    These people kill themselves for a reason.

    They live in a place where they have no value as an individual, where society expects them to work themselves literally to death, and "urban sprawl" has gone the way of wall-to-wall carpeting.

    I'd probaby want to escape that, too!



    It really disturbs me that, at the same time our population keeps rising on an exponential curve, we still cling to archaic notions of the "sacredness" of every life.

    Sacred? No. Worthless. Japanese society has just caught on to that idea realtively earlier than the rest of us. Perhaps it has something to do with their stereotypical obsession with honor and accepting suicide as an honorable way out of any problem, but they have the right idea. How do you deal with overpopulation? Encourage death.

  3. Re:Blown out of proportion... by 246o1 · · Score: 0, Troll

    "Not a problem. The trend will die out."

    Why is that modded "Insightful" ?!? It's a joke. If it were meant to be insightful, he would have given a reason. There's no reason to believe this trend will go away, considering that the penetration of the internet into Japanese society could grow greater, leading to more lonely people finding each other online.

    (My opinion on this info, btw: As other people have pointed out, at least this is healthier than channeling their loneliness into killing sprees, etc.)

    --
    Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.
  4. Props to My Psycho Fathers Suicide by c0d3r · · Score: 0, Troll

    My Father was the most psycho craziest man I ever new, being an MS Psyc Parole Officer Ex Military Ex Cop. I disowned him and didn't hear from him til he died 7 years later by a violent car chase (Which made me very happy), and pistle wipped her, and shot her several times as she ran away right in front of a church and splattered his own brain on the pavement. The bitch definitely deserved it, it fits the end to the long story, and its a way to go!

  5. Re:Culture shouldn't be making "Hikikomori" by born_to_live_forever · · Score: 0, Troll

    Japanese people have good taste? I take it the crappy j-pop, tentacle rape hentai, and feces-based porn flicks haven't crossed your radar yet.

    Hmm. They've crossed my radar, and I've pretty much passed on them.

    I pass on the crappy J-Pop, like I pass on Britney Spears.

    I pass on the tentacle rape hentai, like I pass on anything produced in the "Porn Capital of the World".

    I pass on the faeces-based porn, like I pass on anything said or done by George W. Bush.

    There, I think that sort of puts things into perspective.

    Seriously... what does America have to feel superior about?

    --

    - Peter Ravn Rasmussen

  6. Re:This isn't about suicide. It's about MURDER. by syousef · · Score: 0, Troll

    Encouraging someone to commit suicide is equivalent to killing him.

    Congratulations. That is the absolute stupidest and least correct statement I've read on /. so far this year. You should be really proud of yourself.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer