I understand that you are not religious and this question is not meant to be religious, but who had more “dignity” in life and death, Adolph Hitler who was dressed in in finest uniform and chose the exact moment of his death or Jesus Christ who was beaten, bloodied, and humiliated on the Cross?
If a person has shown no dignity in life, I don’t think it matters how “dignified” they appear in their final moments, and a person who has lead a dignified life will have dignity at his final breath no matter how “messy” it is.
Your comparison is understood and valid— you have a point. But it really is an extreme comparison.
On a more practical, “real world” level, I submit the examples of my parents who both died at young ages after long and horrendous battles with cancer. My mom never expressed a desire to end her suffering early to me— but I was only 16 years old at the time.
My dad, however, did express the desire. He said many times that he should just shoot himself, but he was worried about a number of things: that it would be physically messy and disgusting, that it would traumatize everyone around him, that he would look weak, and that it would have to be done secretly and that people would be angry, etc.
He never said “wouldn’t it be nice if there was an accepted form of suicide... blah, blah, blah...” but I am making that logical leap.
He was in terrible physical and psychic pain for many many months. IF there was a painless and generally accepted practice for ending one’s suffering, he would certainly have considered it.
And, by the way, he was a Catholic.
So, this is where I am personally coming from on this issue.