From the cutting of social ties and dependencies to the distance between the goal and the means of achieving it, suicide is seen as the ultimate solution. He is a sociologist and expresses his opinions based on Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton’s views on suicide. Sociology in a society facing a growing suicide rate.

For this reason, the monthly magazine “Khat-e-Solh” went to Emanollah Ghorayi Moghadam, a sociologist and university professor, with the subject of suicide. He was born in 1941 in Mashhad and has two doctorates in education and sociology and is known as one of our country’s sociologists. In this conversation, he talked about the reasons for suicide, its theories, and types, and then addressed the situation of Iranian society and said, “As Joseph Schumpeter said, the climate of society is conducive to suicide. It brings sorrow to the doors and walls of this country.”

In this conversation, Dr

How do you define suicide and what reasons might a person have to prefer death over life?

به فکر دفاع از کشور و مردم هستند. به فکر این هستند که باید چه کاری بکنند. همه به هم متصل هستند. پس خودکشی کم است. اما وقتی جنگ تمام شد و این اتحاد و پیوستگی وجود نداشته باشد، خودکشی افزایش پیدا می‌کند. چون همه به سمت خودشان می‌روند. همه به سمت خودشان می‌روند. همه به سمت خودشان می‌روند.

Su

And in this meeting, deep connections are formed.

Bravo. But after the war, no one thinks of anyone else. As Imam Khomeini said, war is not at the forefront of affairs. Everyone goes towards themselves. People feel abandoned. They feel lonely. As a result, individuals turn towards suicide. So as I mentioned, economics, politics, and the level of religious beliefs and convictions play a role. For example, in this country, during Friday prayers or gathering in Tekiyehs during the month of Muharram and Ramadan, the suicide rate decreases.

For the reason that social connections are strengthened?

Yes. For example, you go to Friday prayers or to the mosque. You feel like you are not alone. But when someone does not have religious beliefs and is not committed to religious matters, they become alone! Religious beliefs create a sense of connection and attachment. Research has also been done in Europe and it has been shown that religion is one of the effective factors in preventing suicide.

On the other hand, someone who has been divorced, is addicted to drugs, or has hoped to pass the entrance exam but failed, or has been heartbroken in love and cannot get a mobile phone, here the Martin theory is correct that there is a distance between the goal and the means. Other cases are also seen where it is clear that they have been cut off from society.

In our investigations, it seems that we focus more on the third and forced type of suicide. Let me give you an example, Mr. Doctor. When I looked at the statistics of Sistan and Baluchestan province, even though it is a very economically weak province and its development indicators are undesirable, the statistics of social problems such as suicide are very low. In my opinion, the reason for this is that in this province, tradition is a very strong bond between people. What is your analysis?

This is very effective. It is certain. Suicide is forbidden in Islam and all its sects, including Sunni and Shia. Suicide is less common in villages. It is also less common in some provinces. For example, the statistics are lower in Yazd. But it is more prevalent in Tehran and Karaj. This is because there is a lack of cultural homogeneity in these areas. In villages, there is cultural homogeneity. In the same Tehran, for example in areas like Iran Street and Chahar Rah Aabsardar, you see less suicide. Crime is also less common. But in Karaj, which is a small Iran, meaning all ethnicities are present there, it is more common. Marginalization increases the suicide rate. Lack of cultural homogeneity increases the suicide rate. Diminishing beliefs increases the suicide rate. For example, now there is an economic crisis. Believers see this as God’s will. Or the coronavirus.

From the perspective of

Is it true to say that modern life has not created new social bonds for us to rely on?

Of course, it also depends on the type of society. In a society where there is hope for the future and happiness, there is less suicide. You cannot compare. In places where society has experienced cultural collapse, individuals feel that there is no longer any benefit to continuing their lives. The youth see that they have no future. The media has also opened up a new perspective. Additionally, factors such as upbringing, the family a person grew up in, and the location in a big city can all play a role in the rate of suicide. You can see that there are dozens of factors that contribute to the increase in suicide.

Does this mean you directly relate the level of social freedoms to the level of suicide? For example, the blue girl was arrested and sentenced to prison for not going to the stadium and committed self-immolation.

Freedom is not a given. The fundamental principle is based on connections and coherence. Society has broken its bond with what it desired, severed its ties, and committed suicide.

In similar situations, can it be said that others do not understand it? Meaning, when a problem arises for them, they are not by their side.

Yes. Your point is correct. It’s not just one factor, there are dozens of factors. But the main principle is dependence and attachment. In today’s Iranian society, in my opinion, people have become like robots. Individuals pass by each other like lifeless robots without feeling each other. People have become self-centered and self-absorbed. They have lost their identity. We have become identity-less in Tehran. We have become lost. In Iran, we have 13 million marginalized people.
Now, there are various goals for young people. But do they have the means? I doubt it. They have no hope for the future, no hope for marriage, job, housing, etc. What do unemployed people do now? They are cut off from society. They may even commit suicide.
In my opinion, the factors that lead people to be cut off from society and towards suicide are increasing day by day.

Suicide occurs in different ways in different regions. What does this social choice give to the sociologist and what can we understand from them?

I mentioned that Kurdistan cannot be compared to Lorestan. In the western provinces, in order to clear themselves from the accusations made against them, people burn themselves. They consider fire as a symbol of purity. The methods of suicide for men and women are different. Women’s suicide is more delicate. They do not hang themselves or shoot themselves. Men’s suicide is more violent. Usually, women’s suicide happens with pills, sleeping pills, eating rice pills, etc. depending on what is available to them.

The methods of suicide vary in different provinces. But the main theory is that the connection and hope for the future have been cut off.

I want to know how to convince someone in Iranian society who has many excuses to prefer death over life, how can we persuade them to live? How can we give them hope?

We have the problem of chaos and sorrow in Iranian society. It spreads from television news to other places. There is also unemployment. Unemployment is the mother of corruption. Can we fix it? Addiction is also a problem.

These are the factors that government institutions must address. Is that correct?

Suicide is related to the ruling authority. As Joseph Schumpeter said, the social climate is conducive to suicide. It brings sorrow to the country’s doors and walls. From the clothes and music they play. Traditional Iranian music is against this cutting off from society. But how much is it being broadcasted? The problem is not just one or two things. If unemployment is eliminated, it gives hope for the future. But now, about thirty percent of university graduates are unemployed. What hope is there? This unemployment is a waste of capital. People are not even working in their own fields. These issues need to be addressed. Society must be happy and hopeful. Political differences within society must be reduced. According to Rousseau, a person is born pure. Who forces them to commit suicide?

Ultimately, it is social factors that drive a person towards suicide.

Not only that, but also social and economic factors that have an impact on society.

In fact, suicide goes against the nature and essence of human beings. Humans love life. Generally, individuals are driven towards suicide.

“This was a good sentence that you said. We must do something so that people enjoy living. In a society where a journalist from the state broadcaster is fired for having a guest on his program who said to dance, in such a society, shouldn’t suicide rates increase?”

What is the role of media in regards to suicide, that it does not promote suicide by spreading news? What behavior do you suggest for the media in this regard?

Media plays a significant role in giving hope to society. But how? Through what means? With orders? Commands? Or, as Harold Lasswell says, should the message be made appealing and given? Television has a very important role. But how? Through hopeful films, good series, good music, good art. How many good artists do we have in this field? Which hopeful message is broadcasted? When you come home from work, why do you turn off the TV? Mr. Zarghami (former head of IRIB) himself said that seventy percent of Iranians watch satellite. The role of media is unparalleled. An example of this is the issue of coronavirus. A magazine called Lancet has said that the Sputnik vaccine is good. It changed people’s opinions. This is the role of media. Men do not understand. A magazine that has not been confirmed anywhere said that this is good and its impact was felt.

Another issue is the lack of trust among people

This means that the second wave of discord and abnormality is spreading in society.

It is true. The second law states that all elements must be interconnected and interdependent. Durkheim has previously mentioned this. It is called organic coherence, not mechanical. Our society is mechanical. This means that individuals do the work, but they are not aware of the importance and impact of their work. It is like a machine.

This is why people have become strangers to each other. They go to work but do not work. The system is sick. I agree with “General System Theory”. When you want to keep society as it was a hundred years ago, you can’t. Society has moved towards autonomy, as Robbins says. The youth are screaming. No action, thought, or tradition is sacred anymore. I quote the Scottish poet John Davidson. No action, no thought, no tradition is sacred anymore, and now we can deviate from it.

This is the youth of today. The youth are no longer traditional or conservative. The youth of today see, hear, and

I hope that our society will come to itself.

Yes, come to yourself, but don’t have too much hope with this situation.

Does it mean you have little hope for the future?

Why? Education and university do their own work. That means they raise awareness. A fatwa has been issued for people to have children right now. Why don’t people have children? The impact of the university is the reason. For a girl, it is not an honor like in the past to have a few children.

His identity used to be his old self. If he didn’t have a child, he would lose his identity, but today it’s not like that.

It was really bad. They were saying that his stove was blind. He is teaching and educating himself. Today, the situation of society that you see from within is boiling. Society is doing its own work. The criticism that Durkheim raised and the class consciousness that Marx raises are still valid. Marx himself, despite his emphasis on economics, says at the end of his life that people must understand and become aware.
As Max Weber says, the mind is important. We should look within and at the present. Not look outside and at the past. We must be introspective. Marx also emphasizes knowledge and self-awareness. Class consciousness must be achieved and the worker must understand that he is being exploited. And this society is slowly starting to understand, in my opinion. But it takes time.

At the end, if there is any point left unsaid, please mention it.

As I mentioned, there are multiple factors involved in suicide. It is purely a social phenomenon. And if we want to reduce suicide, we must address the various factors, with the most important being unemployment, in fact, poverty. So that society can have hope. Don’t just talk about Iran. Let the youth of this Iran feel it, so they don’t run away. The youth must feel their Iranian identity. When they are separated from their identity, they become a factor for suicide.

Thank you for the time you have given to the peace line.