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There was a post not long ago on here by a young man (32 iirc?) that had a terminal illness and was sharing his final thoughts. One idea stood out to me, he sai

There was a post not long ago on here by a young man (32 iirc?) that had a terminal illness and was sharing his final thoughts. One idea stood out to me, he said that getting old is a privilege that not everyone has the opportunity to experience. It was a new perspective for me on aging, perhaps the sentiment can be meaningful to you as well.

jetrink 6y ago
Edmond Halley (the astronomer and polymath who studied Halley's Comet) made a similar observation in 1693 after compiling the first modern mortality table. > [I]t may perhaps not be an unacceptable thing to infer from the same Tables, how unjustly we repine at the shortness of our Lives, and think our selves wronged if we attain not Old Age; whereas it appears hereby, that the one half of those that are born are dead in Seventeen years time, 1238 being in that time reduced to 616. So that instead of murmuring at what we call an untimely Death, we ought [...] to account it as a Blessing that we have survived, perhaps by many Years, that Period of Life, whereat the one half of the whole Race of Mankind does not arrive. 1. http://www.pierre-marteau.com/editions/1693-mortality.html http://www.pierre-marteau.com/editions/1693-mortality.html
bauerd 6y ago
I remember this post very well. The thought about ageing being a privilege stuck with me too. If I recall correctly, the post was titled "Leukemia has won" … It immediately comes to mind now when I hear people in their 40s or even 30s complaining about their age.
guytv 6y ago
hmm. that's exactly what stayed with me as well. Each birthday is another victory. You made it another year. some don't. rejoice.
briangray 6y ago
[1] I believe this is the one you're referencing from Elliot Dallen. It's a very insightful and beautiful post. And the reason I now read articles referencing old age, which once didn't register with me as much. "Nobody should lament getting one year older, another grey hair or a wrinkle. Instead, be pleased that you’ve made it." - Elliot Dallen 1 - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/07/terminal-cancer-live-cancer-life-death https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/07/termin...
- jfengel 6y ago
  I wish he wouldn't underplay it. I don't care about gray hair and wrinkles. I care about joint pain, friends dying, and eventually an inability to even take care of myself. Better than dying young? Surely. But it's harder than just being pleased despite cosmetic defects.
  - majormajor 6y ago
    It's worth remembering here, when picturing it as a comparison or tradeoff, that there are a lot of ways to die young that are full of pain and suffering too...
WalterBright 6y ago
My father's WW2 group had an 80% casualty rate. He didn't like growing old, but he was well aware it was a privilege far too many of his buddies didn't get.
glouwbug 6y ago
The saying of two things in life being certain, death and taxes, implies death is tax free. Desires and aversions - like pay cheques and taxes - stoics yearned for freedom from both, and they appreciated end of life for freeing the soul from it's wantings and aversion for earthly desires and pain.
FillardMillmore 6y ago
I believe this is the post that is being referred to, for those who are interested. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19203617 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19203617

jetrink 6y ago

Edmond Halley (the astronomer and polymath who studied Halley's Comet) made a similar observation in 1693 after compiling the first modern mortality table. > [I]t may perhaps not be an unacceptable thing to infer from the same Tables, how unjustly we repine at the shortness of our Lives, and think our selves wronged if we attain not Old Age; whereas it appears hereby, that the one half of those that are born are dead in Seventeen years time, 1238 being in that time reduced to 616. So that instead of murmuring at what we call an untimely Death, we ought [...] to account it as a Blessing that we have survived, perhaps by many Years, that Period of Life, whereat the one half of the whole Race of Mankind does not arrive. 1. http://www.pierre-marteau.com/editions/1693-mortality.html http://www.pierre-marteau.com/editions/1693-mortality.html

bauerd 6y ago

I remember this post very well. The thought about ageing being a privilege stuck with me too. If I recall correctly, the post was titled "Leukemia has won" … It immediately comes to mind now when I hear people in their 40s or even 30s complaining about their age.

guytv 6y ago

hmm. that's exactly what stayed with me as well. Each birthday is another victory. You made it another year. some don't. rejoice.

briangray 6y ago

[1] I believe this is the one you're referencing from Elliot Dallen. It's a very insightful and beautiful post. And the reason I now read articles referencing old age, which once didn't register with me as much. "Nobody should lament getting one year older, another grey hair or a wrinkle. Instead, be pleased that you’ve made it." - Elliot Dallen 1 - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/07/terminal-cancer-live-cancer-life-death https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/07/termin...

jfengel 6y ago
I wish he wouldn't underplay it. I don't care about gray hair and wrinkles. I care about joint pain, friends dying, and eventually an inability to even take care of myself. Better than dying young? Surely. But it's harder than just being pleased despite cosmetic defects.
- majormajor 6y ago
  It's worth remembering here, when picturing it as a comparison or tradeoff, that there are a lot of ways to die young that are full of pain and suffering too...

WalterBright 6y ago

My father's WW2 group had an 80% casualty rate. He didn't like growing old, but he was well aware it was a privilege far too many of his buddies didn't get.

glouwbug 6y ago

The saying of two things in life being certain, death and taxes, implies death is tax free. Desires and aversions - like pay cheques and taxes - stoics yearned for freedom from both, and they appreciated end of life for freeing the soul from it's wantings and aversion for earthly desires and pain.

FillardMillmore 6y ago

I believe this is the post that is being referred to, for those who are interested. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19203617 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19203617