2. How Do You Define Torture?

So torture, I have no idea where to begin. I was researching a paper I am writing on the ethics of torture and I tried to figure out different methods of torture. There are your basic methods of torture: waterboarding, electrocution, bamboo shoots between the fingernails, etc., but then there are your other methods. Starvation and sleep depravation. I got kind of curious when I looked at the sleep depravation.

I've been an insomniac for a few years now and lately I've been spending my nights awake rather than sleeping. I don't feel like I'm really all that different from everybody else. I still get all my school work done, but I definitely have a lot more time to do fun things. I never really thought of my sleeplessness as a problem. I just found it to give me a lot of free time. But recently I have been looking at it from a different angle.

People have used sleep depravation as a way of cracking people and getting them to talk and eventually go insane. I don't know how I feel about this. Do I torture myself all night long? Sometimes I do want to go to sleep and I just can't and it gets depressing but for the most part I just have fun and watch something relaxing.

The jury is still out as to whether or not I torture myself at night. For the most part I don't think I do, but we will see how it goes.