Why is guillotine considered less humane than electrocution?

Lethal injection and electrocution are pretty much the only methods of execution allowed in this country because most of the other methods are considered cruel and unusual but I ask why is instant decapitation considered less humane than the two methods currently employed?

Its pretty much an instant and nearly painless death where as both lethal injection and electrocution are said to come with great pain. Isn't a less painful method less cruel?

@joshmightbe: Electrocution has been a secondary method of execution for over 10 years, and that's only in a few states. Most states now don't use electrocution at all. Basically electrocution has been on the decline for a while because it's a pretty..I don't know how to phrase this eloquently but..bad way to die.

It's pretty messy.

@hbktimhbk: This was intended to cover lethal injection as well but the title was too long.

The guillotine was used against anyone who opposed the revolution of France...It was used for mass executions and anyone, no matter if they were innocent or not, were given the treatment of the guillotine. So the guillotine was a way of instilling fear in people...that's not really humane. The era of this device was even called "the reign of terror." I can see why we wouldn't want to recall that time in human history.

And I mean, I don't think anyone would want to have others be decapitated, either...

@dr_harlequin: Not asking about how it was used, just saying the device itself is more humane because it offers a virtually painless death.

All executions are inhumane.

@joshmightbe:

Is that the one where you put your head in the hole and the blade comes down?

@joshmightbe: Because it F-ing cuts peoples heads off...... Lets say you had to put your dog down, and the vet walks up and says "Sorry kid-o we have to cut Fluffy's head off. It's the humane thing to do." I wouldn't think you would say "Oh golly doctor vet guy thank you for cutting my dog's head off to save him through all the pain"........

@supernategames: Yea but its like a split second and you wouldn't have enough time to feel it.

@joshmightbe: I'm just saying that it may not be used today because of it's inhumane history.

@judasnixon: If it was quicker and less painful than what they use to euthanize them currently then it would technically be better.

@dr_harlequin: So they're actually being less humane because it looks more humane? Well actually that makes sense considering what we know of American politics.

It's also probably also a cultural thing too, I mean we eat foods in our culture that shouldn't even be considered foods...like the ones that cause problems to our bodies. I'm sure there are other cultures that have different methods of execution, we don't use some because of our own cultural restrictions.

Also, are we talking about sentenced executions and euthanasia?

In that case, I don't want my relatives to be headless before we close the casket. The head is known to give one a self of identity, at least in some cultures. If that's gone, then you can really say that you've cut off their humanity.

@dr_harlequin: Talking about convicts here

I still think we should make Escape from New York a thing. Worked for the Brits way back when.

it's a lot messier because of all the blood coming out of the stump.

Probably because it doesn't look humane or professional. A needle or a chair seem much more humane than a guillotine, even if it is more painful.

-$NG

Ew, what would they do with the heads?

@dr_harlequin: in a basket where it fell to

@kyrees: Then what would they do with it afterwards?

@dr_harlequin: show it to the crowd. XD

Because just like an ax, it doesnt always cut through in one chop.

@jloneblackheart: Actually with the guillotine's design, so long as it's well maintained it pretty much always goes through in one shot. Its probably the most efficient methods humans have invented for removing a head and we as a species have invented a truly disturbing amount of methods to remove a head.

@joshmightbe: Yup, that's why the blade is diagonal, right?

Nobody ever said killing a person would be easy... well a few people have to they were mostly cerial killers

What about death by snu snu?

@saint_rog_el: What's snu snu?

So much sex that your pelvis breaks and kills you.

Futurama reference.

@saint_rog_el: that's not an execution, that's a happy ending. ;)

Dude this is grim.

@joshmightbe: Lethal injection doesn't come with pain. You don't feel anything. You are put to sleep, then inject you with a paralytic to stop your breathing, then you are injected with something to stop your heart. You die without ever knowing it happened... aside from the knowledge that comes from laying on the table.

Because it's not painless.

@joshmightbe: I guess key phrases are "well maintained" and "pretty much always." Any way, I always found hanging to be equally as effective as decapitation when done correctly.

Some deserve it.

I think you meant "cereal" killers.

That's interesting. Kind of what I suspected but it seemed a little silly. That would probably hurt more than the electric chair, which shuts down your brain in the very first shock (although the shock itself might hurt for a brief moment). Sometimes injection can sort of kill instantly so there isn't always a great deal of pain. I suppose the guillotine might hurt a bit after all. I don't want to imagine a failed guillotine, though. LOL. Sounds a bit too gruesome.

Frankly though, the concept of public execution is inhumane in itself, as some people have said in this thread.

There's also rumors of people being conscious after decapitation, because of the blood and oxygen that still remain in the head. Those circumstances are debatable, though. However, the scenarios are rather creepy: in one, somebody picked up the head and it opened its eyes, stared at the guy, and then slowly closed its eyes when it died.

@jedixman: It is theoretically possible and considering how many people were put to death by guillotine, I am sure there were more than a few that lasted up to 10 seconds before dying.

@jedixman: That's pretty much what that link said. I've never seen one of those things and I don't plan to. LOL.

Seriously?

It's a real thing! People are out to get the cereals! Killing cereal is wrong!

... no, come on, it was obviously a dumb joke ;)