I know that Japan (including South Korea) have a higher rate regarding suicide for example, the idea on not admitting defeat or acceptance of failure, tolerance on shame dates back to feudal times when the Samurai were still around, as in committing seppuku since back then it was considered honorable (in their culture) just to atone his failures, fulfilling his duties.
Emperors who were around prior to the Meiji Restoration often commit suicide as the next heir ascends the throne. Meiji's father (Osahito) even did this before his son took his place, as to them it's their only way out and completely normalized in Japanese society & culture (including religion), this also includes Samurai or others within the feudal hierarchy during the Shogunate.
During WWII, both Japanese officers and soldiers consider hara-kiri rather than admitting defeat or surrendering to the allies as they believe it's justified to preserve their honor on behalf of the emperor. Today it still lingers in Japanese culture (it's even romanticized in anime & manga), on top of the toxic work culture or their collectivist society driving them into suicide.
To be clear, I am not defending it, as that is NOT my intention. I'm just putting insight as to cultural differences on how this subject matter is viewed in the East vs West: Japan is NOT a Christian country, so their stance on suicide is tolerant. Western countries are raised in Judeo-Christian beliefs while Japan believes in Shintoism or embraces the wa (aka. harmony).
In hindsight:
- How is suicide viewed in American society & from a historical lens?
- How many condone this or are against it from a societal aspect?
- What are the factors as to why some consider this as their option?
I think you have to separate suicide from sacrifice. We romanticize going out in a blaze of glory the same as many people. The end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for example. Or Bonnie and Clyde. Or Young Guns. Or so many war movies.
So I don't think there is a big rift in that front. Suicide to regain honor, though, is not a western concept. Some romanticize it, but for the most part it's considered cowardly here. If you fuck up, you work to make amends and fix it, you don't just peace out and leave everyone to pick up not just the disaster you leave behind but the emotional fallout as well.
There have been times in my life that imagining the emotional trauma I'd put my family through was the only thing keeping me from giving up. It's hard to live with feeling like a burden on others, but it's funny how rarely changing ourselves seems like a solution.
Anyway this is heavy for a Saturday morning and I think that's as much time as I want to spend thinking about this today.