View source for Suicide

One of the more common causes of death in [[Ankh-Morpork]], Suicide on [[Roundworld]] refers to the willful and premeditated taking of one's own life. However, the famous Morporkian literalism steps in to expand this definition until it includes not only self-initiated suicides but also those actions that are guaranteed beyond a doubt to result in another being killing the suicidal person in question.  Should the [[Ankh-Morpork City Watch|Watch]] conclude that they are investigating a case of Suicide, (suicide with a capital '''S''',) they will tend to wrap up the investigation swiftly and move on to something more important. 

== '''Methods of committing Suicide:'''  ==
* Walking into [[the Mended Drum]] and announcing that your name is '[[Vincent the Invulnerable]]' or some-other-such-nonsense works every time. 
* Calling a [[Pictsies|Nac Mac Feegle]] 'a fairy' will bring about a fairly quick Suicide. 
* Shouting "''All [[Gods]] are bastards''!" in the middle of a thunderstorm, whilst wearing copper armour, counts as Suicide.
* Going up to a [[Witches|Witch]], [[Werewolves|werewolf]], [[Vampires|vampire]] or [[Susan Sto Helit]], leering, and proclaiming; "''I likes a girl with spirit!''" is extremely ill-advised, even if, strictly speaking, you're left alive afterwards to ponder the wisdom of your actions, having just slid down the learning curve...
* Unlicensed [[Thieves' Guild|theft]] is Suicide. So too is unlicensed [[Assassins' Guild|assassination]], unlicensed [[Fools' Guild|fooling]] and unlicensed [[Seamstresses' Guild|'needlework']].  
* Attempting to apply the [[Marquis of Fantailler]] [[Marquis of Fantailler rules|rules]] of pugilism in an actual fight, is a very effective method of Suicide.  
* Standing between the parades on [[Battle of Koom Valley|Battle of Koom Valley Day/Troll New Year]] is Suicide, (unless you happen to be Capt. [[Carrot Ironfoundersson]] of the [[Ankh-Morpork City Watch]].)  
* Calling a [[dwarfs|dwarf]] "''short stuff''," will either result in Suicide, or a sudden lack of leg below the knees.
* Referring to [[Trolls|trolls]] as "''stupid [[rocks]]''" is also a sure-fire way to commit Suicide, as is looking [[elves|elvish]] in the presence of dwarves or trolls. 
* Stepping on a [[gnomes|gnome]] will generally not result in Suicide, although it has unfortunate consequences for those who do.  
* Wielding a [[Knockermen|flamethrower]] in the presence of a [[swamp dragon]] is Suicide--either due to the dragons, or due to [[Sybil Ramkin|Lady Sybil]] catching you in the act or finding out about it.
* Attempting to rob [[the Bucket]], in full-view of members of the [[Ankh-Morpork City Watch]] and/or take [[Angua|a certain member of the Watch]] hostage, is Suicide.
* Taking a stroll through [[the Shades]] is Suicide, or at least it was until the [[City Watch|Watch]] was brought back up to full-strength. Now, it is possibly only ''attempted'' Suicide.
* Attempting to swindle, cheat, rob, or otherwise deceive or harm any member of the [[Seamstresses' Guild]] is a Suicide once the [[Agony Aunts]] find out. Those who survive are best advised to not complain...
* Being curt, frank or unpleasant to [[Jonathan Teatime|Mr. Jonathan Teatime]], before his death, was a method of Suicide.
* Messing with [[Rincewind]] is Suicide, (though indirectly,) since [[The Luggage]] will eventually catch up with you. Messing with the Luggage itself is also Suicide.
* Attempting to traffic in [[Scrape]], [[slab]], or any other troll drug is Suicide... once Sgt. [[Detritus]] the troll catches up with you, though as actually causing a citizen to commit Suicide in this manner would be classified as "''police brutality''" and would result in unnecessary paperwork, Sgt. Detritus will probably leave you alive. Probably... 
* Staging an assassination attempt on [[Mustrum Ridcully]] is Suicide, by way of the two loaded-crossbows he keeps handy on his bedside table or on his person.
* Standing near a [[Nac Mac Feegle]] mound with a spade, intent on digging will for the moment, be called Suicide... until a proper name can be invented.
* Devising a [[Linoleum|zoolological taxonomy]] for all living-things on the Discworld becomes Suicide when you choose to give Trolls the Latatian classification of ''stultus saxum'', ("''Stupid Rocks'',") or Werewolves, ''lupus sapiens'' ("''clever doggies''.")  Add to this Latiaitan terms for Dwarfs that translate as "''garden ornaments''" and Vampires as "''bloody undead''" then you will have a Suicide-in-the-making.
* Tapping [[Cohen the Barbarian]] or any member of the [[Silver Horde]] on the back may result in Suicide... or it may just result in the loss of certain popular body parts...

==Annotation==
For the Roundworld definition of suicide, see [[Wikipedia:Suicide|here]], but put simply, "''suicide''," (Latin suicidium, from ''sui caedere'', "''to kill oneself'',") is the intentional killing of one's self. The most common cause is an underlying psychiatric disorder, such as, but not limited to, depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug abuse. Financial difficulties or other undesirable situations play a significant role in the developing world.

World-wide it is the ''tenth'' leading cause of death with over one million people committing suicide every year. It is one of the leading causes of death among teenagers and adults under 35. There are an estimated ten to twenty ''million'' failed suicide attempts every year worldwide! That makes even Ankh-Morpork look tame!

The Discworld definition of Suicide is sometimes used on Roundworld too, as in [[Wikipedia:Suicide_by_cop|"Suicide by cop"]]

[[Category:Discworld concepts]]