I’m not going lie to you, I’ve felt despair, I’ve felt pain—we all have. It’s part of the human condition.

But does that mean it’s OK to end it all when we face adversity?

Incredibly, that seems to be the case in Europe and Canada, where death by one’s own hand is increasingly accepted.

Killing yourself:

Canada's Obsession With Assisted Suicide

Canada Considers Expanding Its Assisted Suicide Law to Include Minors—Even Without Parental Consent

Sadly, a seemingly lovely young woman has chosen to choose death rather than face the human emotions that are part of what we all encounter. But was this young life snuffed out because the system promoted it? Would this have happened in any other era? I would argue no:

“There’s nothing more we can do for you. It’s never going to get any better.”

It's infuriating that Doctors feel justified in saying those words to the Mentally Ill.

Psychiatrists stated the same to me. #grateful Ketogenic Therapy heals Mental Illnesshttps://t.co/qjGyowBY95

— Valerie Anne Smith (@ValerieAnne1970) May 29, 2024

The details are heartbreaking:

29-year-old Zoraya ter Beek's life was terminated last week after waiting three years for final approval for her euthanasia, which is legal in the Netherlands if the patient is deemed to be experiencing "unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement."

Ter Beek was diagnosed with autism when she was 21, and by the time she was 22, she wore a "Do Not Resuscitate" tag around her neck, The Free Press reported. She reportedly had been hoping to end her life since she was a child as she was bullied growing up and often felt like she didn't fit in. 

 "For me, autism is the major hiccup in my life," Ter Beek told the Free Press. "That bothers me the most."

Her “support system" ended up overseeing her demise:

"My whole friends and my support system, we really did it together," she had told The Free Press. Ter Beek reportedly saw herself as an ambassador for the Dutch euthanasia program and believed there is proper protocol in place to prevent abuse of the system. 

"We’ve had this law for more than 20 years," she had told the outlet. "There are really strict rules, and it’s really safe."

Safe in what sense? Sorry to be cold—but you are now dead. How is that safe?

This is INSANE!!

Physically healthy 29 year-old Dutch woman Zoraya ter Beek was granted euthanasia approval over her severe depression.

Zoraya ter Beek received the final approval last week for assisted dying after a three and a half year process.

Despite of having a partner,… pic.twitter.com/CiHqur9Cib

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) May 17, 2024

The cult of death and, frankly, the negativity that has been allowed to fester in Justin Trudeau’s Canada and Joe Biden’s  America—and seemingly Europe as well—is a far cry from the optimism and hope that characterized American thought for two centuries now. It’s one of the many things that’s been lost in recent years as guilt, loss, and despair have become the dominant narratives of our cultural class. We were once a people of dreams and aspirations for ourselves and for our families. Now, in Western thought, it seems like a cult of doom has taken over—climate change will kill us all, our reliance on energy and plastic bags will be our ruin, and we’re all secretly racist in our deepest heart of hearts.

Although I never met Zoraya ter Beek, I feel for her death. I can't imagine what mental pain she was going through, but I also feel that ending her own life was not the right choice. To me, it is a sign of what we've become. We all face struggles, we all face pain—but this is not the way. Canada and Europe now seem to fully embrace just checking out. 

I feel for you, Zoraya, but the modern zeitgeist—and the current-day ethos—have let you down. For that, I am profoundly sorry.