From "The Guardian": "Pratchett starts process to end his life"

Exactly What It Says on the Tin

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/12/pratchett-starts-process-to-end-his-life

Of course, they say that 70% of those who start filling up the paperwork for that don't go through with it, and Pratchett himself says that his upcoming book and movie are what prevent him from going ahead right now.

I (selfishly, I know) hope there will be enough books and films coming up to keep him busy, and also that there will be some kind of breakthrough regarding Alzheimer's disease that will allow for a stabilisation or even a reversal of the process.

Hey, one can hope, no...?

edited 13th Jun '11 2:31:14 AM by JoseB

GLUUUURK!

WHAT WHAT WHAT.

NO NO NO NO NO NO.

I don't have much to say, other than I hope he decides to live. Honestly, reading the thread title, I thought it would be about Terry Pratchett making some wise crack about working himself to death writing.

edited 13th Jun '11 2:43:04 AM by Talby

Calm down, he knows what he's doing.

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

Oh... assisted suicide. Good luck with getting that request accepted by a court of law.

In Switzerland, where he is applying, this is not a problem.

Apart from that... well, I am sad, but I also understand where he is coming from. I suppose that this is one of the cases in which I should just shut up.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

^^^ Oh ho ho.

edited 13th Jun '11 3:16:59 AM by MadassAlex

Swordsman Troper — Reclaiming The Blade — Watch

If there is a man on Earth which I believe truly possesses the wisdom to make such a choice with no regrets or hesitation, then it is he.

"We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent."

...I he manages to remain stable and busy enough that he doesn't go through with this for a long time to come.

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Having seen the effects of debilitating Alzheimer's from close up, I fully support the decision of one of the world's most beloved authors to go out with a bang rather than a whimper, if he believes it necessary to do so.

That said, the world ain't gonna be the same without him, however he ends up checking out.

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.

I would be really sorry if he decided to go through with it, but it's his life and his choice whether he will continue with it or not.

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

I don't feel sad/angry: he's left a momentous body of work and that won't go. His life is his life is his life. If he'd rather die on his own terms in the the way he chooses, he should do so with no regrets.

That's his decision

If we disagree, that much, at least, we have in common

Sad story but I kind of understand that he doesn't want to live with Alzheimer's. It's a horrible disease

"Take your (...) hippy dream world, I'll take reality and earning my happiness with my own efforts" - Barkey

Reading this I can't help but feel... unimpressed.

Telling the Guardian how you 'have got the forms, but haven't got around to signing them yet' is about the same as going onto /b/ and asking whether to 'An Hero' or not.

Terry, we all know you views of assisted suicide, now quit going on about it. Either piss or get off the pot.

hashtagsarestupid

@joeyjojo: I suspect it's political advocacy on his part; that forcing people to live with a debilitating illness is cruel, and allowing people to die with dignity is important. He has the money to go and do it. Most people, in the current system, don't.

A brighter future for a darker age.

I wish my life had put me on a path to become an Alzheimers researcher.

What it does to a person is probably one of the scariest things that can happen. I'd rather have Parkinson's or Cancer, there's lots of pain in those, but at least you don't slowly devolve into a bundle of memories randomly passing through what's left of your mind.

I think the world would be sadly deprived without Terry, but I do think that considering what he is facing, he is well justified in wanting assisted suicide.

Charlie Tunoku is a lover and a fighter.

I agree with Morvern that Pratchett's almost certainly making a political point about assisted dying (fair enough in itself), but he may well be in earnest about eventually ending his life this way too. I can't say I blame him. Alzheimer's is a terrible disease and if I was diagnosed with it, I might consider this too.

"Well, it's a lifestyle"

Oh, I'm sure he's genuine about his desire to end his life this way, but his making sure he keeps getting headlines about it is I suspect a deliberate political statement.

A brighter future for a darker age.

IMO, Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped.

Da Rules excuse all the inaccuracy in the world. Listen to them, not me.

Exactly — I realize that I didn't make it clear that I approved of his doing so.

A brighter future for a darker age.

I agree, Morven.

Although this still makes me very sad. But there's not really any way around the fact that he won't be able to write for very much longer, anyway. It is unpleasant to think of such a mind going like that.

Still, it is upsetting, either way.

If Pratchett is making a deliberate political point, assisted suicide is a topic on which such point must be made.

While it will be sad to see someone like Terry Pratchett go, it would be even sadder for someone with such an imagination, such a creative mind slowly wither away from Alzheimer's. Of course the ever-present problem for Pratchett and indeed anyone with Alzheimer's who, understandably wants to end things before they completely lose themselves is where to draw the line. I met Pratchett at the 2010 Birmingham Discworld convention, which is now almost a year ago. At that time, you really wouldn't notice his disease if you didn't know about it, at least in terms of clarity of mind, memory and wit. He was every bit as sharp and witty as you'd expect from reading his books and you really couldn't tell that his mind was at all going.

Now, there were however the little things like having trouble with sense of direction which you did notice. Also the fact that he didn't read the excerpt of his up-coming novel himself because he sometimes suddenly have trouble reading a word, that sort of thing. Also, one can unfortunately be much further along the track of Alzheimer's then outsiders think. One of my grandfathers had Alzheimer's and for quite a few years you'd notice it, but it didn't feel as though it was that bad, however my grandmother who had to deal with it every day felt quite differently about it towards the end of this period. Being able to sit and talk almost normally with the family for a few hours doesn't necessarily translate into being as "normal" in the daily routine. Then suddenly it all came very fast and his mind began to deteriorate very quickly. having seen that all I can say is that I completely understand anyone who doesn't want to go out like that. I know that if I am ever diagnosed with Alzheimer's and they haven't found a cure by then I'd want to end it before it came to far along as well.

This brings us back to the problem of when to draw the line. It's really hard to say and ultimately it is up to Pratchett himself to decide on this, I certainly wouldn't begrudge him if he chose sooner rather than later because I simply have no idea exactly what condition he is in. I don't know how many of you has seen his speech about assisted suicide, but here it is, I find it to be very moving:

Now, at the 2010 con I was lucky enough to get into a "clatch" with Pratchett in which I and about 10 other people spoke with him. In this he got onto the subject of assisted suicide as well and told some of the stuff Tony Robinson talked about in the above speech like his fathers' death etc. Hearing himself talk about it is even more heart-wrenching and I honestly don't think anyone who has met and spoken with this man would question his ability to make this choice and his earnestness in promoting the possibility of those less fortunate than him having the option too. Being in the press with this so many times is not some grab for attention, it's a way of trying to get attention to this very important issue, which he has a vexed personal interest in, but which he also believes that anyone in his situation with, let's be frank, less money has an even more vested interest in. And god bless him for it.

Yes, because being pro-euthanasia means one should end it all right now.

Also, have some respect, this is a life we're talking about, and he's a known public figure, not just some guy on the internet posting on /b/ to see what people will say.

Anyway, I'm saddened that his time has come, but if he wishes to end it, he should have the right to do so. My only regret is that I most likely will never get to meet him even to just ask for an autograph.

the statement above is false

My fullest support.