In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley shows an example of the widely debated topic of doctor-assisted deaths, or euthanasia. Formerly called mercy killing, euthanasia means making someone die rather than allowing them to die naturally. In Huxleys novel the futuristic World-State uses euthanasia for everyone who is no longer useful to society. Death with dignity, has become a catch phrase used by euthanasia activists, but theres nothing dignified about killing someone. Being gassed to death with carbon monoxide, suffocated with a plastic bag, and injected with lethal poison are common inhuman ways doctors have helped their patients to die. Although people who are terminally ill should not be forced to stay alive nor to suffer, the alternative, euthanasia, is against the law, for it pressures people emotionally and psychologically into death, and it is not a reliever of pain.Suicide has been legalized in the United States, and some think its only fair to do the same with euthanasia. Since suicide has been made legal, there are more suicides everyday than homicides, but suicide and euthanasia are quite different and should not be confused with each other. Suicide is a tragic event dealing with one person acting by him or her self, but euthanasia is not about a private act. It is one person doing something that directly kills another. If euthanasia was legalized it would only lead to abuse and erosion of health care for the most vulnerable people. Some activists say euthanasia would only be at a patients request and no one would be forced into dying. Although physical force is highly unlikely, emotional and psychological pressure could overpower someone feeling depressed or dependent on people. Much like in Brave New World when John, the savage kills himself because could not accept the life-style that the super-society wanted to impose on him. If the choice of euthanasia became available as well as a decision to receive good health care, man...
