THE CADRE. Tues” Oct-

Editorial

«SIHCHlningIAflIrrY' Ill-I-I-I-I-Il-I-I-I “

In my six years as a. psychiatric nurse, both in Charlottetown and Toronto, I was often involved with people who were "suicidal". There are two principal ‘ types: attempted suicide and, successful suicide. The former, which is the attempt by an individual who is not so concerned with successful suicide as he is with drawing at- tention to the fact that he's suffering a crisis and feels unable to deal with it effectevily. Although this is serious in itself, the only real danger to his life is if he should "ac- cidentally succeed" in killing himself when he is only trying to draw at— tention to a personal crisis whether it be psy- chological or ontological. The latter ("successful suicide") is more serious ‘and is the type with which I am here concerned.

The successful suicide is simply that — one who suc- ceeds in destroying him- self. But.what is of interh est to me here is the man— ner by which he decides. .Formerly, the potential suicide is very depressed due to his inability to continue with success the ongoing struggle day-to- day living implies. First, this struggle becomes very heavy - a burden. He at-

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tempts to deal with it but finds his efforts thwarted -and in succumbing, becomes

very depressed. He resigns.

.The world is too much for him. However, he cannot . continue this way. He is ,forced toimake a decision A either to continue, or to - find a way out.

I often observed the man- ifestations of a decision to "end it all". Where he

‘~ was once very depressed, he suddenly becomes active movile, almOst happy. For the perceptive nurse, this sudden transition is a clue to the fact that he has given up the struggle, has chosen suicide as the only alternative, and intends it seriously. U

It's this sudden change that interests me: it's as though all one's troubles were "lifted from your shoulders".

Let's move now to another phenomenon - the "Jesus Movement". In my interact- ions with those of the Je— sus Movement, I foUnd the same characteristics that I found in the sucidal. Where before their lives were "drole", "meaningless? "unhappy" they suddenly be— came the opposite by "giv- ing themselves to Jesus", by "accepting Christ as their savior", etc. Again, there is this sudden eu— phoria when one denies the struggle of day-to-day life

Dear Mr. Hansen:

May I correct a point which appeared in your "Kampus Koncern" Column on examination? I am afraid that I g9 require some form of final examination in my science courses. The idea that I do not may have arisen from the varying nature of this final: I ’have experimented with as many types as possible in attempts to improve a sit— uation that I do not like.

Another eXplanation occurs to me: I have been involved in non—science programs and courses which evaluated students in terms of pro— jects rather than finals.

Coincidentally, I am a member of the Senate Com- mittee on Examinations and

Evaluation. This Committee will be considering the question of final examin— ations: we would be happy to recieve‘comment from anyone. I had planned on contacting the Cadre With an appeal: I believe that your column will help in bringing forth opinion on this subject. Yours.faithfully,

.Ian MacQuarrie

Mr. King:

It is with considerable regret we are unable to publish your article which you wrote in Frendi. .Our typewriters are, un- fortunately, not bi- lingual. However, if you would consider converting ~your article to English, me would gladly consider it 'for publication. ‘

I might also point out to those who would like an. article published in a foreign language to either consult with our typist as to column width and then type it accordingly as well as submit a trans- lation or settle for an English equivalent.

-Editor

ANSWERS.

DO

and throws oneself into "the hands of Christ".

The only difference I can See between suicide and Christianity is,that in the former (most radical) one denies life altogether, whereas in the latter, life is still affirmed but real- ity is rejected in favor of an idiology which permits a safe e3cape.

'Indeed, how attractive the Christian ideology must have appeared to the per- secuted and enslaved at the

ftime of Jesus! Christianity,

is a religion for the slave the weak, the herd. It pro- vides them_with a unique weapon to justify them- selves and make the strong— er appear weaker so as to build themselves up. How- ever, more on this theme another time.

. Nevertheless, it is still

remarkable that "Christiane ity" thrives in North Amer~ ica which is capitolist -

par excellence! Within the capitolist idiology, it is a battle of the strong few

"against the weak many. with

the majority expropriated by the few is it any sur— prise that "Christianity" is the official religion to enable you to cope with this expripriation - ex— ploitation? Not at all — for it enables-you to see yourself as strong although you are weak)

—Stan Dalton

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