In the episode San Junipero of the television series Black Mirror many strong ideas are portrayed about the use of euthanasia and what happens after someone’s life has been taken. The use of euthanasia in the shows context prolongs the person’s life by putting them into a virtual reality that they can live in long after their death. The main character, Yorkie, seems innocent and confused as she walks around San Junipero, she acts like this because in reality she has been a paraplegic since the age of 20. She uses San Junipero to explore life without having a disability. Although Yorkie lives a long life of being a paraplegic for over 40 years, she marries in order to have her life cut short so she can spend her afterlife in San Junipero. The controversial topic of euthanasia is expressed strongly in this episode, using Yorkie as an example of how euthanasia can help someone’s life, while in history and other cultures there are many other ideas formed in other texts surrounding euthanasia. 

The history of euthanasia is enriched by the context of San Junipero and shapes the episode. San Junipero brings a lot of topics to the table by explaining the use of the afterlife for people who have lots of physical and emotional struggles. Throughout history a lot of controversy surrounds euthanasia and the context of this show brings out all the qualities of it. As Yorkie grows in the realm of San Junipero it begins to seem as if she has been giving a new life. She begins to grow obsessed in this idea of being alive for eternity. She marries a nurse at her hospice to have consent to commit euthanasia. The relationship of euthanasia to the real world and to San Junipero shows information to support the frame of the show. Euthanasia in the show gives different people a chance to live another life and makes the idea of euthanasia normal and helpful. That shapes the show and brings out all the good qualities of euthanasia without stating any problems with committing it. 

In a religious aspect for euthanasia there are many texts that bring a negative aspect in to play. The bible clearly states that a man who has been given life should not take his life before the Lord takes it, “And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) This text tells the side of euthanasia that no man should take another man’s life away. Only his fate decides when his life shall end. It also enriches the idea that since God has given life why can someone take life away before it is their time, “Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?” (Ecclesiastes 7:17) Throughout the bible it adamantly states that euthanasia is a sin. This cultural side of euthanasia enriches the idea that euthanasia should not be committed. Also when a person’s time has come to an end they should have done everything in their life to worship God and seek for eternal life in heaven. Rather than go into an eternal state of a false reality, the person goes to God and their spirit rises to him. 

In a historical aspect euthanasia portrays a way to help someone in pain. Euthanasia became legalized in Belgium in 2002 for reasons that it would help people in dire pain and help put their life away in a quick and painless way, “the patient is in a medically

futile condition of constant and unbearable physical or mental suffering

that cannot be alleviated, resulting from a serious and incurable disorder

caused by illness or accident” (Schotsmans and Meulenbergs 2005) The historical background of euthanasia enriches the ideas that euthanasia should not be used in ways to take life from people before their time but to help them ease their death without pain or suffering. This tough decision on when the use of euthanasia seems right to do or not brings a gray argument into this text. The text enriches the positives of aspects of it. It states that a single person should have the right to decide to end their life early if they are suffering a painful slow death, “’Assisted dying' is

narrower, because it implies that a person has a terminal illness and is in

the process of dying anyway, so assisting them to do so is helping them in

the context of imminent death.” (Modern living 55.1) This article states that since someone begins the process of death, that taking their life should not be a question because that person suffers every day and night and it would help them die a quick painless death. In this context, the idea of euthanasia has a positive impact on people’s lives and helping them end their life smoothly. 

Throughout all three of these sources each text enriches the ideas and feelings around the topic of euthanasia. In the aspects of cultural and historical parts of euthanasia each source backs up their ideas with facts and evidence. The tricky decision on when to commit euthanasia has been a problem for years. In San Junipero the use of euthanasia has a positive impact in Yorkies life, helping her start life over and live in eternity as a normal person. Throughout the bible the idea of euthanasia has a negative impact in a person’s spiritual life. Finally, in the last source I used the text enriches the ideas that euthanasia should be someone’s decision and it should be their right to end their own suffering and battle for their life. In all three of these sources the historical and cultural background is backed up through the text and shapes them with all the ideas surrounding euthanasia. 
