British author, Martin Amis, calls for euthanasia booths

THE novelist Martin Amis has called for euthanasia booths on street corners, where elderly people can end their lives with “a martini and a medal”.

Whether Amis, is joking or not, the fact is that Amis is expressing the thoughts that many people in society believe, that is that the aging population will destroy our lifestyle as we know it.

The Amis comments were printed in the Sunday Times. Link to the comments in the Sunday: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6999873.ece
Amis was reported to have said:

“How is society going to support this silver tsunami?”

“There’ll be a population of demented very old people, like an invasion of terrible immigrants, stinking out the restaurants and cafes and shops. I can imagine a sort of civil war between the old and the young in 10 or 15 years’ time.”

“There should be a booth on every corner where you could get a martini and a medal.”

At the same time it was announced that his next book, The Pregnant Widow, will soon be released. Is Amis trying to buy publicity?

The article also stated that his support for euthanasia has increased after the death of his stepfather.

I consider the comments by Amis to be related to the negative attitudes that exist towards seniors in society that has led to the incredible growth in elder abuse in our culture.

I have also noticed that more people are remaining healthy and active longer. If society encourages the continued inclusion of older persons into the mainstream of society, it is likely that the demographic time bomb will never go-off. Society has begun to realize the importance of encouraging the inclusion of people with disabilities, but in the same way we need to change attitudes towards the elderly.

I would also like to see a societal acceptance for couples who have larger families. Children from large families tend to be less self-centred. It would also help to balance the demographic shift.

Nonetheless, there was time when seniors were respected for their experience and their service to society. I am convinced that if the negative attitude towards seniors shifted in a positive manner, then society would have no problem facing the changing demographic trends and possibly flourish without having to kill our seniors by lethal injection.