Dec 062021
 

There is a market for this. But this… this is too much.

Controversial Assisted Suicide Pod Cleared for Use in Switzerland

So how does this pod work? It fills with nitrogen, displacing the oxygen. The “resident” should then rather calmly, peacefully and painlessly pass out in under thirty seconds or so, and actually expire in five to ten minutes. As a way of executing people, I’ve long suggested nitrogen; it’s cheap, it’s easy, it’s clean, it doesn’t have the ethical issues that hanging, firing squads and lethal injections have. So why do I have a problem with this pod? Because it’s massively over-engineered. You know what you’d need? A scuba tank full of pure nitrogen and a face mask. That’s it. Maybe a heating element/ heat exchanger so you’re not inhaling really cold nitrogen. The suicide pod is supposed to be made transportable so people can do themselves in in the surroundings of their choice, like by a lake or at the mall or wherever… but a simple gas tank and a mask? I see old folks toting those things around all the time (typically filled with oxygen, however).  A very quick google search brings up this oxygen supply system:

It costs $350 and could be just as easily filled with nitrogen. Or helium if the person wants to go out making other people laugh. And it’s profoundly reusable, and easily transportable.

There’s no need to make this sort of thing all that complex.

 Posted by at 5:03 pm