Jim Jones and the Tragedy in Jonestown Suicide is usually an act of lonely desperation carried out in isolation by those who see death as an acceptable alternative to the burdens of a continued existence. It can also be an act of self-preservation among those who prefer a dignified death to the ravages of illness or some perceived humiliation (Websters 1002). It is even, occasionally, a political statement. But it is rarely, if ever, a social …showed first 75 words of 2247 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2247 total…Ultimate power is seductive not only to those who achieve it themselves but also to those who give up their own power in order to help others achieve it (Vankin 2). It is the ability to answer the unanswerable questions about the meaning of life and death. It does not matter if those answers make any sense; the belief in them and in the individual who hears them makes any sacrifice, even if it involves death.