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Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Os dados demográficos relativos a Portugal – análogos a muitos outros países –têm provocado a discussão
sobre o envelhecimento, fenómeno entendido como uma conquista da humanidade. Se a discussão
centrada no número existe e é relevante, há outros centros de interesse sobre a velhice que importa
refletir profundamente. Hoje há a consciência que um dos grandes problemas da população idosa é o seu
isolamento, tanto familiar como na da sociedade em geral, não permitindo a verdadeira vida de relação.
Esse isolamento acontece em grau elevado nos grandes centros urbanos – isolamento pessoal – e nas
aldeias do interior do nosso país – isolamento social – onde não existem jovens. Muitos velhos estão
confinados às suas aldeias, assim como em meios urbanos os idosos se encontram confinados à sua casa,
isolados da comunidade por barreiras físicas.
Por outro lado, a discussão sobre a eutanásia está presente no quotidiano, muitas vezes sob o signo da
emoção momentânea. É necessário aprofundar o tema, não perdendo de vista a superior dignidade da
pessoa humana, independentemente da sua idade ou situação particular.
No seguimento da argumentação aduzida, os autores colocam a hipótese de haver sub-repticiamente na
sociedade contemporânea uma punição por se ser velho e/ou doente. Parece que os grandes interessados
desta discussão não são as pessoas em risco, mas aquelas em torno do velho/doente, tomando a solidão
e a eutanásia como punições. O individualismo sobrepõe-se a tudo e a todos.
The demographic data for Portugal - analogous to many other countries - have led to a fierce debate on ageing, a phenomenon perceived as a conquest of humanity. If the discussion centred on the number exists and is relevant, there are other centres of interest about old age that should be deeply reflected upon. Today there is an awareness that one of the great problems of the elderly population is their isolation, both within the family and in society in general, not allowing for true relationship life. This isolation occurs to a high degree in large urban centres - personal isolation - and in the villages of our country's inland - social isolation - where there are no young people. Many old people are confined to their villages, just as in urban settings, they are confined to their homes, isolated from the community by physical barriers. On the other hand, the discussion about euthanasia is present in everyday life, often under the sign of momentary emotion. Further analysis is needed in this respect, not losing sight of the superior dignity of the human person, regardless of their age or situation. Following the adduced argument, the authors hypothesize that in contemporary society there is a surreptitious punishment for being old and/or sick. It seems that the main stakeholders in this discussion are not people at risk, but those around the old / sick, taking loneliness and euthanasia as punishments. Individualism overlaps everything and everyone.
The demographic data for Portugal - analogous to many other countries - have led to a fierce debate on ageing, a phenomenon perceived as a conquest of humanity. If the discussion centred on the number exists and is relevant, there are other centres of interest about old age that should be deeply reflected upon. Today there is an awareness that one of the great problems of the elderly population is their isolation, both within the family and in society in general, not allowing for true relationship life. This isolation occurs to a high degree in large urban centres - personal isolation - and in the villages of our country's inland - social isolation - where there are no young people. Many old people are confined to their villages, just as in urban settings, they are confined to their homes, isolated from the community by physical barriers. On the other hand, the discussion about euthanasia is present in everyday life, often under the sign of momentary emotion. Further analysis is needed in this respect, not losing sight of the superior dignity of the human person, regardless of their age or situation. Following the adduced argument, the authors hypothesize that in contemporary society there is a surreptitious punishment for being old and/or sick. It seems that the main stakeholders in this discussion are not people at risk, but those around the old / sick, taking loneliness and euthanasia as punishments. Individualism overlaps everything and everyone.
Description
Keywords
Envelhecimento Solidão Silêncio Eutanásia Ageing Loneliness Silence Euthanasia . Faculdade de Artes e Humanidades
Citation
Paula Portugal & Rui Proença Garcia (2021). Solidão e eutanásia ou as punições por se ser velho. In Joaquim Pinheiro (coord.), Olhares sobre o envelhecimento. Estudos interdisciplinares, vol. II, pp. 95-102. DOI: 10.34640/universidademadeira2021portugalgarcia ISBN: 978-989-8805-65-2
Publisher
Centro de Desenvolvimento Académico, Universidade da Madeira