Ultimately, Schadenberg believes the problem is not only that we have a culture of death but that we also have a “culture of loneliness.”
Schadenberg believes the core reason for the shocking number of deaths by euthanasia in Canada — 10,064 deaths in 2021, up from 7,595 deaths in 2020 (the 2022 data is not available yet) — is loneliness, despair, and lack of meaning in life.
“Yes, there are people who are going through significant pain and suffering,” he said, but they are the minority. “Most people ask for euthanasia because they are going through a difficult time of life, whether that be a physical or psychological condition, and they are experiencing feelings of loneliness, depression, and that their life lacks meaning, purpose, or value.”
In short, it’s a spiritual problem.
The people who are most at risk of assisted suicide are also the people least likely to come forward, while people who want euthanasia are more vocal and are more likely to approach the media.
Schadenberg highlighted recent accounts of so-called “deaths of despair” while the lack of media representation for the vulnerable is a core problem moving forward.