Dignitas

One of the reasons I enjoy Wired so much is that it reminds me that what I see in science fiction can often be found in the here and now. Among the ideas they cite as dangerous in their latest edition is to legalize assisted suicide. They describe a group in Switzerland called Dignitas which has become the destination for suicide tourism. For $10,000, they offer counseling to anyone considering suicide and if the counseling doesn't work, they'll not only guarantee a painless exit, they'll clean up the mess afterward.

In addition to the elegant name and its Swiss location, what makes the place so creepy for me is the fact that they don't have a web site. The discretion of the whole "service" lends itself to an international thriller. I can see a movie in which Matt Damon pretends to be a patient in order to uncover some elaborate conspiracy.