5 ms·

I've posted this on HN before, and it seems appropriate here as well. I read this every once in awhile, and it never fails to inspire meet to live by what Jeff

by F_J_H 9y ago

I've posted this on HN before, and it seems appropriate here as well. I read this every once in awhile, and it never fails to inspire meet to live by what Jeff Bezos calls the "regret minimization framework": If I were able to live my life anew, In the next I would try to commit more errors. I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more. I would be more foolish than I've been, In fact, I would take few things seriously. I would be less hygienic. I would run more risks, take more vacations, contemplate more sunsets, climb more mountains, swim more rivers. I would go to more places where I've never been, I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans, I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones. I was one of those people that lived sensibly and prolifically each minute of his life; Of course I had moments of happiness. If I could go back I would try to have only good moments. Because if you didn't know, of that is life made: only of moments; Don't lose the now. I was one of those that never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot-water bottle, an umbrella, and a parachute; If I could live again, I would travel lighter. If I could live again, I would begin to walk barefoot from the beginning of spring and I would continue barefoot until autumn ends. I would take more cart rides, contemplate more dawns, and play with more children, If I had another life ahead of me. But already you see, I am 85, and I know that I am dying. Edit: Not sure who the author is. I've seen it attributed to Jorge Luis Borges, but am pretty sure that is incorrect.

codeulike 9y ago
Nice quote but it is literally survival bias. You might hear from old people wishing they'd done more, you don't hear from young people who died while climbing mountains, swimming rivers, or ...er ... eating ice cream. Which is to say: how cautious or not to be at any point in time is actually a very complex judgement. Seizing the day and living in the moment are important, but so is planning ahead, thinking about the future, practicing restraint at the right times and knowing when not to eat ice cream.
- ntsplnkv2 9y ago
  You also don't hear from the people who died in a car accident after fighting with their spouse on the way to their dead-end job. You don't hear about the people who stayed at their "secure" job as opposed to joining a more risky venture, only to lose their job the next month. > how cautious or not to be at any point in time is actually a very complex judgement. I think people are taking what was said a bit too far. You can do very safe mountain climbs and see some awesome views, and safely swim rivers near shore, You can reasonably live without taking absurd risks.
- Clubber 9y ago
  >Nice quote but it is literally survival bias. It is, but it isn't as drastic effect as say the survival bias from war or something. The logic being that under today's circumstances, many people live to grow old without the serious threat of from large scale war, famine and disease. In other words, there is survivor bias, but it is significantly diluted by the fact that almost everybody survives. For survivor bias to be significant, you have to have a lot of people not survive.
taneq 9y ago
This is a common, and dangerous, form of selection bias that we often see when old successful people give their wise advice to 'live life to the fullest'. Sure, it's easy to wax lyrical about taking chances when you already know that you made it to the end of your natural life in reasonable shape and with a nice amount of material wealth. The people who did live that way and suffered a career-ending injury, or were killed in some dodgy third world country, or simply died a pauper - nobody cares about their advice.
- gerdesj 9y ago
  "This is a common, and dangerous, form of selection bias that we often see when old successful people give their wise advice to 'live life to the fullest'." Common and dangerous.
BatFastard 9y ago
As someone who has taken more than their share of risks in life I have to say most of them were worth it! Even if I ended up broke and divorced :-) And without trying will you ever know?
warkdarrior 9y ago
This website: http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/jorge_luis_borges/poems/2918 http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/jorge_luis_borges/p... claims it is the poem "Instants" by Borges.
- 3r3rni9 9y ago
  Nah, it's apocryphal according to Wikipedia. And nothing like Borges would write, according to me ;) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moments_(poem) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moments_(poem)
lsc 9y ago
>I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans, I'm less than half the author's age, and I already regret eating too much ice cream and not enough beans.
badpun 9y ago
On the other hand, I took risks when I was younger, and got a very annoying disability in the process. I wish I was more careful.
- ryanwaggoner 9y ago
  I think the key is differentiating between real risks (wingsuits are dangerous!) and fake ones (who cares if strangers give you weird looks because you’re barefoot).
  - weaksauce 9y ago
    > wingsuits are dangerous Are they really that much more dangerous than parachuting? I know they have more fatalities but wingsuiting is only more dangerous because people take more risks with them and fly close to the ridgeline(typically you only get into wingsuiting if you are an experienced parachute operator). Similar to in rock climbing with typical roped climbing vs. free soloing(sans ropes).
    - taneq 9y ago
      Wingsuits aren't inherently dangerous, but they're only fun if you're flying close to things, and flying close to solid objects in an impromptu aircraft with terrible aerodynamics and highly questionable control scheme is dangerous. So yes, wingsuits when used in the way that wingsuits are almost always used are inherently dangerous.
      - weaksauce 9y ago
        > but they're only fun if you're flying close to things I only rock climb but wouldn't it still be fun to be in the air for a longer time even if you are not close to objects? I think the wingsuit craze of flying near objects has more to do with being bored of the normal parachute experience.
        taneq 9y ago
NiklasMort 9y ago
reminds me of: "Have you ever sailed across an ocean? On a sailboat surrounded by sea with no land in sight? Without even the possibility of sighting land for days to come. The stand of your helm of your destiny. I want that. I want to be in Piazza del campo in Siena. I want another meal in Prague. I want another bottle of wine, and then another. I want the warmth of a woman in a cool set of sheets, One more night of love. I want to stand on summits and smoke cubans and feel the sun on my face for as long as I can. Walking the wall again , climb the tower, ride the river, stare at the stars. I want to sit in the garden and read one more good book. Most of all I want to sleep, I want to sleep like I slept when I was a boy, Give me that Just one time" R. Reddington (The Blacklist)

by F_J_H 9y ago

codeulike 9y ago

Nice quote but it is literally survival bias. You might hear from old people wishing they'd done more, you don't hear from young people who died while climbing mountains, swimming rivers, or ...er ... eating ice cream. Which is to say: how cautious or not to be at any point in time is actually a very complex judgement. Seizing the day and living in the moment are important, but so is planning ahead, thinking about the future, practicing restraint at the right times and knowing when not to eat ice cream.

ntsplnkv2 9y ago
You also don't hear from the people who died in a car accident after fighting with their spouse on the way to their dead-end job. You don't hear about the people who stayed at their "secure" job as opposed to joining a more risky venture, only to lose their job the next month. > how cautious or not to be at any point in time is actually a very complex judgement. I think people are taking what was said a bit too far. You can do very safe mountain climbs and see some awesome views, and safely swim rivers near shore, You can reasonably live without taking absurd risks.
Clubber 9y ago
>Nice quote but it is literally survival bias. It is, but it isn't as drastic effect as say the survival bias from war or something. The logic being that under today's circumstances, many people live to grow old without the serious threat of from large scale war, famine and disease. In other words, there is survivor bias, but it is significantly diluted by the fact that almost everybody survives. For survivor bias to be significant, you have to have a lot of people not survive.

taneq 9y ago

This is a common, and dangerous, form of selection bias that we often see when old successful people give their wise advice to 'live life to the fullest'. Sure, it's easy to wax lyrical about taking chances when you already know that you made it to the end of your natural life in reasonable shape and with a nice amount of material wealth. The people who did live that way and suffered a career-ending injury, or were killed in some dodgy third world country, or simply died a pauper - nobody cares about their advice.

gerdesj 9y ago
"This is a common, and dangerous, form of selection bias that we often see when old successful people give their wise advice to 'live life to the fullest'." Common and dangerous.

BatFastard 9y ago

As someone who has taken more than their share of risks in life I have to say most of them were worth it! Even if I ended up broke and divorced :-) And without trying will you ever know?

warkdarrior 9y ago

This website: http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/jorge_luis_borges/poems/2918 http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/jorge_luis_borges/p... claims it is the poem "Instants" by Borges.

3r3rni9 9y ago
Nah, it's apocryphal according to Wikipedia. And nothing like Borges would write, according to me ;) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moments_(poem) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moments_(poem)

lsc 9y ago

>I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans, I'm less than half the author's age, and I already regret eating too much ice cream and not enough beans.

badpun 9y ago

On the other hand, I took risks when I was younger, and got a very annoying disability in the process. I wish I was more careful.

ryanwaggoner 9y ago
I think the key is differentiating between real risks (wingsuits are dangerous!) and fake ones (who cares if strangers give you weird looks because you’re barefoot).
- weaksauce 9y ago
  > wingsuits are dangerous Are they really that much more dangerous than parachuting? I know they have more fatalities but wingsuiting is only more dangerous because people take more risks with them and fly close to the ridgeline(typically you only get into wingsuiting if you are an experienced parachute operator). Similar to in rock climbing with typical roped climbing vs. free soloing(sans ropes).
  - taneq 9y ago
    Wingsuits aren't inherently dangerous, but they're only fun if you're flying close to things, and flying close to solid objects in an impromptu aircraft with terrible aerodynamics and highly questionable control scheme is dangerous. So yes, wingsuits when used in the way that wingsuits are almost always used are inherently dangerous.
    - weaksauce 9y ago
      > but they're only fun if you're flying close to things I only rock climb but wouldn't it still be fun to be in the air for a longer time even if you are not close to objects? I think the wingsuit craze of flying near objects has more to do with being bored of the normal parachute experience.
      - taneq 9y ago

NiklasMort 9y ago

reminds me of: "Have you ever sailed across an ocean? On a sailboat surrounded by sea with no land in sight? Without even the possibility of sighting land for days to come. The stand of your helm of your destiny. I want that. I want to be in Piazza del campo in Siena. I want another meal in Prague. I want another bottle of wine, and then another. I want the warmth of a woman in a cool set of sheets, One more night of love. I want to stand on summits and smoke cubans and feel the sun on my face for as long as I can. Walking the wall again , climb the tower, ride the river, stare at the stars. I want to sit in the garden and read one more good book. Most of all I want to sleep, I want to sleep like I slept when I was a boy, Give me that Just one time" R. Reddington (The Blacklist)