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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think this man was a selfish twat

81 replies

NeedACleverNN · 22/05/2016 12:43

A man climbed into a lion enclosure and encouraged the lions to attack him in order to try and commit suicide

This resulted in two lions being shot in order to save the mans life and a lot of traumatised people, including children, who witnessed it

www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/22/two-zoo-lions-shot-and-killed-after-mauling-suicidal-naked-man

Before anyone starts ranting iabu because he could have had mental problems, I understand that. But I still think he was a selfish idiot

OP posts:

Myinlawsdidthisthebastards · 22/05/2016 19:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsBobDylan · 22/05/2016 19:20

yabvu to call him a selfish twat. He's I'll. Really ill. So ill in fact, he wanted to die in a truely horrific way.

yorkshapudding · 22/05/2016 19:53

As other posters have pointed out, this man was obviously very, very unwell. So, yes OP, I do think YABU to declare that he was "selfish" and a "twat" for being unfortunate enough to suffer from a serious mental illness

Having worked with many people with severe depression and/or psychosis over the years I can assure you that this man was experiencing a level of fear, distress and utter desperation that you cannot even begin to comprehend.

We are talking about a man who stripped naked and voluntarily climbed into a lion enclosure with the full intention of being ripped to shreds and eaten alive by wild animals. How anyone can feel anything other than compassion for the poor man is absolutely beyond me. It's sad that the lion's are dead, of course it's sad, but I simply don't understand how you can get this worked up about the fate of two animals and be completely lacking in empathy for a human being experiencing that level of mental torment.

BirthdayBetty · 22/05/2016 19:56

Horrific, poor lions, but anyone who climbs into a lion enclosure must be in a very bad place and suffering mentally.

Wetbankhols · 22/05/2016 19:56

It is awful, and very sad and I know it's not strictly rational but I do feel very, very sorry for the lions (and I lost a brother to suicide so I'm not just being heartless.)

TheNaze73 · 22/05/2016 19:56

YABU. How on earth, would you know what he was thinking or what a dark cloud he must have been under to do that

PurpleDaisies · 22/05/2016 20:01

I agree with everyone saying a suicidal person is not acting selfishly when they climb into a lion's enclosure-they're severely mentally ill.

As an animal lover I think what happened to the lions is really sad. To call the man selfish shows a huge lack of awareness of mental illness.

Shakirawannabe · 22/05/2016 22:39

I'm with op the lions came to a unnecessary death because of his actions, MH issues or not he made that decision and the consequences effected a lot of people

PurpleDaisies · 22/05/2016 22:43

MH issues or not he made that decision and the consequences affected a lot of people.

So you think someone who strips naked and runs into a lions enclosure is capable of thinking rationally?

Shakirawannabe · 23/05/2016 07:19

Yes it was a conscious decision.

If he wanted to end his life he could have done it in private. He chose to make it so public and knowing people were there to stop it (more of a cry for help then anything in my eyes)

OnYerBikePan · 23/05/2016 07:29

FFS. I know there is a lot of competition, but this thread is one of the most ill-conceived, nonsensical and ignorant threads in while. Surely you've something better to do with your time OP.

PurpleDaisies · 23/05/2016 07:38

(more of a cry for help then anything in my eyes)

How can you possibly know that?

Shakirawannabe · 23/05/2016 08:49

Purple I explained in my post why I think that
right back at you

PovertyPain · 23/05/2016 08:56

You're ignorance is astounding Shakera.

flanjabelle · 23/05/2016 08:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FindoGask · 23/05/2016 09:00

Just a horribly sad situation all round - but no, I don't think the man was a "selfish twat", I think he was/is ill and in need of help.

PovertyPain · 23/05/2016 09:01

Bloody spellcheck.

Your ignorance is astounding Shakira. I really hope no one, in mental crisis, ever needs to rely on you for support.

StableButDeluded · 23/05/2016 09:07

FFS. I know there is a lot of competition, but this thread is one of the most ill-conceived, nonsensical and ignorant threads in while
Agreed. It makes me despair to think that in 2016 there are still people who think mental illness is somehow different to any other illness, and that sufferers are somehow less deserving of empathy.
I have attempted suicide, more than once. It wasn't in a public way like this, and it was a long time ago. It's not something I would ever do again. But I can absolutely tell you, from my own experience, that that man would have been in absolute mental and emotional torment to do what he did. I would not wish the feelings that come from that state of mind on my worst enemy.

MyBreadIsEggy · 23/05/2016 09:11

It's clear that the man is very ill to have done something like that.....but I don't get why the zoo staff couldn't have tranquillised the lions and got the man to safety, rather than kill them Surely a zoo that houses those kind of animals has the equipment to tranquilize?

HermioneJeanGranger · 23/05/2016 09:15

It takes time for tranquillisers to work and you have to hit the animal in the right spot. If they'd darted them with a tranquilliser, they'd have been conscious long enough to kill him.

The zoo has to be seen to do all they can to save the man's life. Tranquillising the lions wouldn't have saved him, shooting them did, as sad as it is for the animals who were just acting on instinct.

KinkyAfro · 23/05/2016 09:16

My dad committed suicide by jumping in front of a train, obviously he considered the feelings of the train driver, passengers and people on the platform before he did it, you know, because he was in sound mind.

Selfish fucker wasn't he

MyBreadIsEggy · 23/05/2016 09:24

Aaaa Hermione I understand their reasoning now...I was under the impression that if they had darted the lions they would have been "out" within a few seconds

Whosegotthepeanuts · 23/05/2016 09:27

I feel horrible for the lions, and sad that there were no quick alternatives, but I don't for a second blame the man. I just hope he gets the help he needs and his injuries (mental and physical) will heal. It's a sad situation all around.

imwithspud · 23/05/2016 09:41

YABU. Calling a mentally ill person a 'selfish twat' just shows how ignorant you are when it comes to mental health.

Do you really think that a person of sound mind would consciously make the decision to strip naked and throw themselves to the lions? Did you think he was doing it for a laugh or something? No. It's human instinct to survive, no mentally well person would even contemplate putting their lives intentionally at risk like that. He is ill and needs help, not condemnation.

It's very sad for the lions but the Zoo staff couldn't just leave him to die.

AliceInUnderpants · 23/05/2016 09:45

The fact is that suicide is selfish. Mental health issues are selfish.

Blameless, though. We need much more understanding.

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