Date: Fri, 30 Sep 94 16:46:45 PST
From: Ishmael Gradsdovic
To: Conference on Lifestyle Alternatives
Subject: Rough Draft Outline for Suicide Note Writer's Workshop
Message-Id: <9409302346.AA13092@slo.ludtech.com>
I. Welcome ------- 1) Welcome to the Suicide Note Writing workshop a) This is not a course in how to commit suicide b) This is not a forum for discussing the ethics of suicide c) I am not giving any legal advice or estate planning advice d) I am not encouraging anyone to commit suicide 2) Objectives of the workshop a) You will learn about what suicide notes are for b) You will learn what makes a good suicide note c) You will learn to avoid common problems and pitfalls d) You will construct your own suicide note 3) What a suicide note is not a) A suicide note is not a last will and testament 1. I am not qualified to give legal advice regarding a will 2. A suicide note is a poor place for estate planning, as the law tends to believe that the writer was not "of sound mind and body" immediately prior to a suicide. 4) What a suicide note is a) A place to explain why you are killing yourself b) A place for last messages to loved ones c) A place for reflecting on despair and death d) A place for summing up your life, achievements, and wisdom e) A place to make a final defense against your accusers f) A way to provoke guilt in selected survivors while alleviating it in others 5) Why suicide notes are important a) Answers inevitable questions of those left behind 1. Why did this person commit suicide? 2. Could I have done anything about it? 3. What does this person know about the futility of existence that I don't know? 4. How can I respect this person's memory? b) Provides valuable insight from someone with one foot in the grave 1. Useful for other people confronting death or contemplating suicide 2. Of interest to psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors c) Allows you to say things you wouldn't want to say if you were going to be alive afterwards d) Helps you provide a 'spin' to the media coverage of your death II. Constructing a Good Suicide Note -------------------------------- 1) Take your time and get a good perspective a) Don't dwell on recent events (Remember: You're going to be dead forever, so take a long-term perspective) 2) Write down a list of objectives before you compose the note. Some possible objectives include: a) Saying goodbye to friends and loved ones b) Explaining what led you to your decision c) Explaining why alternatives to suicide were unappealing d) Letting people know what they could have done to prevent the suicide, or that there was nothing they could have done e) Coming out of the closet f) Coming clean about past misdeeds or secrets g) Telling people what you really think of them h) Giving your own perspective on death and dying, or on the afterlife i) Apologizing for inconvenience of dealing with the body, mourning, etc. j) Taking a last jab at enemies k) Dedicating your death to a political, spiritual or artistic cause l) Summing up your life and achievements m) Explaining in a nutshell the lessons you've learned from your life 3) Write the note a) Do so spontaneously at first -- just let yourself go, be creative, and don't be critical. b) Don't worry about meeting each of your objectives at first. 4) Check the note against your list of objectives a) Modify the note if necessary to fulfill objectives and remove contradictions 5) Try to anticipate how the media will view the note and which parts of it will be excerpted. a) If there are parts you especially want them to use, use the Soundbite technique to suggest them to the reporters: 1. Use clear, active-voice sentences 2. Be straightforward 3. Be brief b) If you are including anything in the note which may cause the note to be withheld from the media, consider writing a separate note for the press and/or general public 6) Be sure to proofread! 7) Place the note properly a) Don't place it where it will be damaged during the suicide b) Don't place it where it will be found before you are dead 8) There are exceptions to every rule III. Common Mistakes and Pitfalls ---------------------------- 1) A misplaced note a) Placed where it will be damaged by blood, water, or fire b) Placed where it will be overlooked c) Placed where it might decompose or be damaged by insects before it is found d) Placed where someone might come across it before you kill yourself. 2) An illegible note a) Tear stains b) Possible use of this in certain circumstances as a device or to make the note more puzzling or enigmatic 3) An unsigned, typed note (people may allege that it was written by a murderer) 4) A note with misspellings, poor grammar, and/or unclear sentences a) You probably want to leave a good last impression b) The print media probably will not correct your errors when they choose excerpts, and may even comment on errors made 5) An unintentionally contradictory note (show examples) IV. Constructing Your Suicide Note ------------------------------ 1) Ask yourself some questions: a) What are your specific circumstances? b) If there were no note, what conclusions would people draw about your suicide? c) How would you change these conclusions if you could? 2) Decide on your main purpose(s) for making this last declaration 3) Hold this general gestalt in mind while going through the steps we discussed. 4) Imagine reading your note from the point of view of various people who might read it. How will they react? Will they have any unanswered questions or misunderstandings? 5) Do a soundbite-check to anticipate media coverage V. Conclusion ---------- 1) Thank participants for attending
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