Billionaire kills himself over financial crisis

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 07 Jan 2009, 13:29

biffvernon wrote:Since this is a public forum, it might be best if we assume the relatives of the deceased may read what we post.

Fortunately unlikely. I doubt the relatives of a German multi-billionaire worry all that much about PO, or, even more unlikely, read a British English language website about it.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 07 Jan 2009, 13:32

That's not quite my point.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 07 Jan 2009, 13:33

Is life insurance invalid if you take your own life?

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 07 Jan 2009, 13:37

Andy Hunt wrote:Is life insurance invalid if you take your own life?

Yes.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 07 Jan 2009, 13:40

Andy Hunt wrote:Is life insurance invalid if you take your own life?

In his case, I do hope so.

oilslick · Post by **oilslick** » 07 Jan 2009, 13:53

Andy Hunt wrote:Is life insurance invalid if you take your own life?

Yes, but if a train takes it....

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 07 Jan 2009, 14:23

The 74-year-old’s business interests ranged from pharmaceuticals to cement, and its troubles had recently been compounded by losses on shares in auto maker Volkswagen AG.

I bet that's made Germany's Carbon footprint look a bit better, then

I feel sorry for the train driver.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 07 Jan 2009, 14:54

Is life insurance invalid if you take your own life?

Some policies certainly are.
I couldnt say if they all are.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 07 Jan 2009, 15:30

biffvernon wrote:That's not quite my point.

You mean good taste? Here?

Dulce et decorum est pro pecunia mori

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 07 Jan 2009, 16:53

Well I used to think that PowerSwitch was mostly used by nice people who cared about others. I may have been wrong.

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 07 Jan 2009, 17:18

Andy Hunt wrote:Is life insurance invalid if you take your own life?

Don't you mean life assurance?

[pedant++]

Insurance is "protection" against something that might happen. Assurance is "protection" against something that will happen (at an unpredictable time).

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 07 Jan 2009, 21:19

Anyone dying of anything other than old age is a sad event. But I have more sympathy for, for example, the thousands of Indian farmers who have committed suicide, largely as a result of what's been done to them by agribusiness as I understand it. They have nowhere to go, and no way to feed their families. But a billionaire who gets into trouble can surely get together enough money to buy a modest house and keep his family in the modest comfort that most of us in the west live in.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 07 Jan 2009, 22:08

biffvernon wrote:Well I used to think that PowerSwitch was mostly used by nice people who cared about others. I may have been wrong.

I try to. 'Nice' is more of a struggle.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 08 Jan 2009, 00:13

Whatever you think about his lifestyle, surely a man who feels so desperate that he takes his own life is to be pitied ?

Have you ever felt so desperate ? No, because you're still here, have a bit of sympathy for the man.

Pippa · Post by **Pippa** » 09 Jan 2009, 09:57

Not sure that it is going to do any good being too precious about a man who chooses to take his own life.

It was his decision; who are we to argue with it?

Anyway, he is just one of 6 and a half billion other of us. He's had a privilaged life. Looking on the bright side he is now one less on the planet to consume finite resources and there are other positives:

He's giving stressed out people something to moan and talk about other than the really important stressing out type issues

Some of us can get a laugh (how ever sick) over his foolishness

Some of uis can feel virtuous and empathetic about the whole thing

Newpapers have something to write about

If he is buried as opposed to burnt the planet will benefit from his death

Some people might learn from his mistakes

The whole thing promotes discussion about suicide, modern society, family values

ETC

Really don't think its all bad.