Quote:
Originally Posted by browser2920
In what sense is it less cruel? If living the rest of your life in a cell is considered a form of punishment, with some level of cruelty attached to it, isn't death the end of punishment?
I understand issues with the execution of innocent people and the finality of the death sentence. But I'm not sure how the death sentence, which ends existence can itsef be considered more cruel than life in a cage. When you're dead, you're dead.
In my experience, and this is only true to a degree, the more well off someone is the more likely they are to say they would prefer the death penalty in the hypothetical scenario of a life vs death sentence.
I am primarily a visual thinker, and it would be incredibly cruel for me to lose my eyes. I prefer to look at paintings or models than going to a concert even though my over all personality is more "punk rockish" than " intellectual" because psychologically I like
looking at things more than hearing things. I would choose to lose my hearing over being blind in a heartbeat.
But it would still be preferable, when actually faced with the choice, to survive blind than to die.
The closer you get to facing that choice, the more many would realize a terrible existence is still preferable to death, and not the same thing. You only get one life. It's a lot like saying would you rather live with your legs chopped or just kill yourself. Most people without legs still find life worth living.
Having said that , I'm basically against life sentences on grounds and ideas similar to the ones proposed here.
https://www.sentencingproject.org/re...ison-sentence/