divebuddy - "A-H, I am sorry, but I still believe you painted yourself as someone who knows all about suicide and that your view was the only sensible one. you were adamant that this guy did not perform his particularly cruel act with pre-meditation."
Your view is a matter of perception - not one it seems that is shared by anyone else with the possible exception of joeluke, but it is your view, and I respect it, and agree to differ.
"I suppose you convinced yourself of this because as you put it, "I do understand exactly how he felt". which, of course, you don't."
On reflection, that observation was inaccurate, and I am happy to withdraw it.
" Only later did you back track and say things like "I am speculating" and "I have no way of knowing the truth"."
A fair point, but that is the essence of debate isn't it?
If no-one's views were ever changed, or even altered slightly as a result of someone else's point of view, then debate would cease to exist, it would be pointless.
I am perfectly willing to concede that after reading another point I have amended my own view, or even changed it completely.
"I don't expect you'll accept what I say as accurate, but to me that is the way you came across. your lengthy posts didn't convince people, so you backed off from your previous position."
As you will see, I do agree that some of what you say is entirely accurate.
I am not trying to convince anyone with my lengthy posts - and my lack of 'convincing' is not the reason why I amended (rather than backed off from) my previous position.
I post the way I have always posted since I started on the AB - I read the OP, and every post afterwards, and then I start typing. I literally think as I type, and that can and does mean that frequently I place my views in careless ways, sometimes my sentences do not convey what I intend, sometimes I make rash observations, which need correction, or retraction.
But that is the way written debate works. People present themselves in the way they believe to be accurate and truthful. By the time someone else reads what they have said, their meaning may have been misunderstood, or even utterly disagreed with - which is absolutely fine - I never have any problem backing down if I believe I am wrong, or apologising if I have inadvertently upset someone.
But I honestly would not be happy posting in any other way but my stream of consciousness, and I accept that on occasions (and this is yet another!), I am particularly verbose when I get carried away.
"I don't suppose you'll want me to have the last word.so if you respond to this post I'll probably let it go."
I have absolutely no problem with you or anyone else having the last word - I am simply responding to you, and to anyone else, as I have done since I started on here.
My views and opinions are my own - I do not hold myself up as an 'expert' on anything, but I do consider myself to have experiences that are deeper than other people's and this thread has been one, hence my massive contribution.
I have very much enjoyed exchanging opinions and viewpoints with you and everyone else.
If I have appeared 'superior' and pompous, it has honestly not been my intention. In terms of the experiences I have drawn on for my posts, I would give anything in the world not to have had them, but I have, and the make me part of who I am.
So, we will move on and meet on another thread I am sure.
Good night all.