Historical Context
The 1990s marked a pivotal era as the right-to-die movement gained momentum, fervently advocating for the right to physician-assisted suicide for those facing terminal illnesses, alongside promoting euthanasia. Oregon emerged as the epicenter of this intense debate. Back in 1980, Derek Humphry established the Hemlock Society in Eugene, Oregon, which has since blossomed into the most longstanding and expansive right-to-die organization across the United States. Humphry penned the influential book Final Exit, a guide on self-euthanasia, which he terms "self-deliverance," detailing thirteen steps involving a plastic bag to end one's own life. By 1994, Oregon boldly became the first state to enshrine into law the right to doctor-assisted suicide, securing approval with just over half of the votes in favor.
From the outset, those opposing physician-assisted suicide initiatives have staunchly defended their stance with religious, philosophical, and legal arguments. A common thread in these contentions is the belief that individuals grappling with terminal conditions lack the mental clarity required to make such monumental decisions. This opposition resurfaced in a repeal attempt against Oregon's law in 1997, which was resoundingly defeated as 60 percent voted to uphold the measure. Meanwhile, Congress has attempted to dismantle Oregon’s pioneering statute, apprehensive that other states may tread a similar path and enact their own assisted-suicide laws. The House of Representatives passed a measure forbidding federal financial aid from contributing to assisted suicide, with the goal of ensuring that federal funds are not utilized to advocate these practices. Congressional adversaries of the right-to-die campaign have also endeavored to enact laws preventing the federal government from granting licenses to physicians to prescribe medication for assisted suicide.
At the heart of the assisted suicide discourse is Jack Kevorkian, a Michigan physician who has dedicated himself to aiding terminally ill individuals in ending their lives with dignity and comfort. Kevorkian adopted a dramatic flair, wrapping himself in the American flag during press events and posing as Uncle Sam to emphasize his stance: that his struggle is against governmental intrusion into the most personal aspects of citizens' lives and in favor of personal liberty. Despite years of facing charges without convictions, while assisting others in ending their lives, Kevorkian was ultimately found guilty of second-degree murder in 1999. He was sentenced to ten to twenty-five years in prison for administering a lethal injection to Thomas Youk, a terminally ill fifty-two-year-old. The damning evidence against Kevorkian, mockingly dubbed "Dr. Death" by his critics, was a videotape he recorded of the act and sent to the television program 60 Minutes. Kevorkian contends that his actions were aimed at compelling the legal system to confront the realities of assisted suicide. Though Leary did not choose suicide, physician-assisted or otherwise, he commended Kevorkian for his self-sacrifice, lauding his willingness to relinquish his own liberty to aid those in profound suffering to conclude their lives on their own terms.
Literary Style
Style
Design for Dying serves a dual purpose: it is both a heartfelt memoir and a precise treatise. As a memoir, it offers a glimpse into Leary's reflections on the life he led and the wisdom he gleaned along the way. As a treatise, it meticulously unravels the reasons behind his life choices and the philosophy he embraced. By systematically exploring topics like drugs, language, technology, death, sex, and consciousness, Leary reveals the foundational principles that guided his existence.
Tone
Leary approached writing with the precision of a scientist, and this is evident even in the intimate pages of Design for Dying . His writing often brims with technical jargon, clumsy metaphors, and complex logic and syntax, creating a dense forest of words. In contrast, the sections penned by Sirius...
(This entire section contains 290 words.)
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cut through with clarity, untangled from Leary's intricate attempts to express the ineffable. Leary's struggle lay in capturing mystical experiences that defy the confines of language. His reliance on scientific terms clouds his message, and when he shifts to colloquial language, it can sound awkwardly humorous and outdated. This challenge was further compounded by Sirius’s task of assembling the book from Leary’s scattered notes and essays. As both Sirius and Leary share the narrative, friends and associates also contribute their recollections, creating a tapestry of voices rather than a singular storyline.
Testimonial
Testimonials offer an intimate glimpse through the eyes of those who lived the experience. In the addendum to Design for Dying, a collection of first-person accounts from Leary's friends paints vivid memories of him. These testimonials weave together a tapestry of eulogies, heartfelt tributes often shared by loved ones in farewell celebrations. Concluding the book in this manner imbues it with a sense of warmth and humanity.
Media Adaptations
Beyond Life with Timothy Leary, a captivating video launched in 1997, captures the final musings of Leary alongside treasured interviews from the vibrant 1960s.
The documentary Timothy Leary’s Last Trip, also released in 1997, delves deeply into Leary's pivotal role in shaping America’s counterculture. It chronicles the journey from the early 1960s, weaving through his life until the very end. Much of this film explores his intriguing interactions with Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters and their psychedelic LSD adventures.
Timothy Leary’s Dead stands out among a slew of documentaries that emerged following Leary’s passing, notorious for its provocative nature. Directed by Paul Davids in 1996, the film became infamous for its startling depiction of Leary’s head being removed and preserved, a scene ardently disputed by those who were closest to him.
Leary's online sanctuary, found at http://www.leary.com (as of March 2001), is a rich repository, brimming with texts and photographs chronicling Leary’s groundbreaking life and work.
Bibliography and Further Reading
Sources Humphry, Derek, Final Exit, Dell Publishing, 1997.
Keelehear, Allan, Dying of Cancer: The Final Year of Life, Harwood Academic Publishers, 1990.
Leary, Zach, ‘‘I’d Love a Hot Dog from That Central Computer,’’ in Whole Earth, No. 90, Summer 1997, p. 33.
Matthews, Ryan, ‘‘Turn On and Tune In,’’ in Progressive Grocer, Vol. 76, No. 7, July 1997, p. 19.
O’Sickey, Ben, Review in Library Journal, Vol. 122, No. 12, July 1997, p. 116.
Self, Will, ‘‘A Teen for Eternity,’’ in New Statesman, Vol. 126, No. 4351, September 12, 1997, p. 44.
Timothy Leary, http://www.leary.com (May 1999).
Webb, Marilyn, The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life, Bantam Books, 1999.
Further Reading
Dass, Ram, Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying, Riverhead Books, 2000. Ram Dass, formerly Richard Alpert, philosophizes on aging and dying, writing that self-enlightenment comes from stepping away from the ego-self and into the soul-self, where people can witness their thoughts and emotions and assess their effects.
Forte, Robert, ed., Timothy Leary: Outside Looking In, Park St. Press, 1999. A documenter of psychedelic history and phenomenology, Forte provides a multi-faceted look at Leary’s life and writings. These essays by and interviews with Leary address the philosopher’s favorite themes: drugs, religion, and death.
Wolfe, Tom, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1999. Perhaps the definitive book of the 1960s, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test recounts author Tom Wolfe’s trip across America with Ken Kesey and his band, The Merry Pranksters. Wolfe recounts a visit to Leary’s Millbrook house in upstate New York, where experiments with LSD were a part of daily life.