Poverty Blamed For Bulgaria's Suicide Wave

As I am linked to NY Times newsfeed, this article came about. Curious to know, I clicked on it and started reading it. I figured this is something I wanted to share. I remember these conversations would arise about the effects of poverty and its correlation to suicide in GPP 115.

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Poverty Blamed for Bulgaria's Suicide Wave

This is a summarized version of the article written by Harvey Morris, the article link is below

Bulgaria's caretaker government is hoping to introduce a plan to tackle the suicide rates that is amongst the impoverished East European Nations

There have been daily reports of people hanging themselves, jumping from bridges, throwing themselves under trains, and setting themselves on fire in protest against the country's economic plight.

The first wave of suicides correlated with the high electricity prices, corruption, and worsening living standards. One man, has set himself on fire and emerged as a symbol of the protest movement.

This article continues to discuss that these symbolic protests have been done before. I remember Professor Roy talking about it for the Arab Awakening.

The men, before their suicide, discussed about being jobless and not having anything to feed their family as their main frustration. There are a number of desperate people in the country that's really pushing them towards taking their own life.

The average monthly wages in bulgaria is $480, which is the lowest in the European Union.

The demonstrations that have been suppressed has begun to resume despite the interim's government's promise to take actions amongst Bulgarians who live below the poverty line.

Read NY Times Article Here
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I think what frustrated me the most about this article is that these incidences are hardly discussed on the news. The only reason why I even got around to it was that it was a simple headline on the NY Times updates that caught my attention. And even when it is discussed on the news, it always has a negative connotation towards those who have taken their own lives.

Every time poverty is discussed, there are so many viewpoints on it. I only say that because of based on some comments below the article. Some think that it's upon themselves to get themselves out of it, and a lot of people do not recognize all the structural violence that's upon folks in poverty. I'm sure that if it were that easy, "to get yourself out of poverty", then poverty wouldn't have to be so prevalent. A commentator discussed how it's "impossible" for poverty to be the only cause of these suicides. I think that statement frustrated me because it just illustrates that people undermine the effects of poverty and invalidate people's own struggles when it comes to poverty. I'm sure we would never comprehend the real causes of their suicides, but that does not mean we can eliminate poverty as a cause either. That does not mean we should not recognize their frustrations. It is nobody's place to blame the impoverish because nobody would understand their struggle but themselves.

By: Lorraine M.