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I would highlight this paragraph: "A wise man once said, disease intensifies narcissism, especially if it is terminal. Interpreting that as advice rather than c

I would highlight this paragraph: "A wise man once said, disease intensifies narcissism, especially if it is terminal. Interpreting that as advice rather than critique, I’d like to be self-indulgent for a moment, and share what I hoped my life would be. I trained as lawyer, and had wanted to go into human rights. Things don’t always turn out the way you expect, and I ended up in corporate law, living a lifestyle unworthy of myself, and making the world worse year on year. On a dark day, I sometimes wonder if this is the universe’s way of balancing the wrong I did. I tried my best to be a good and kind person, but ultimately, I know my job was one that made rich motherfuckers even richer. I’m sorry."

walrus01 5y ago
Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing "oh, but if only I'd been able to increase my employer's stock shareholder dividends a few percent more...". Go live your life before it's too late.
- rdiddly 5y ago
  Whatever inspiration can come from confronting one's own mortality, I'm all for it, but keep in mind, if you're not on your deathbed, you probably have rent due next month.
  - madaxe_again 5y ago
    I had a near miss with illness six years ago, spent some fun time getting my affairs in order. At the same time, a close friend went from fine to a withered corpse in six weeks from aggressive cancer. I decided to throw everything to the wind, bugger the consequences, as my worst and best realisation was that my own impending doom filled me with relief at the prospect of release from my grinding existence. I still don’t quite know what was cause and effect, as my illness was spontaneous multiple organ failure for no good reason anyone could discern - but I resolved that if I lived, it would be to live, not to endure decades more of living death - and not long after that resolution, I improved, and found myself discharged, and incredibly grateful for the absolute basics of human existence - senses, mobility, possibility. So yeah. I had rent due the next month, but I decided to go live in a cabin in the woods instead. It’s six years now. The sky didn’t fall - in fact, I have never been so content, or so healthy - and on a way, I did die in 2016 - at any rate, the person I had been for the preceding 32 years did. Anyway. I ramble. My point was mainly that facing the mortality of someone close to you, or yourself, can have dramatic effects.
    - jacquesm 5y ago
      That's quite the story! Fantastic to see you be able to turn your life around like that, some of what you wrote is eerily familiar to me, food for thought.
    - ChrisMarshallNY 5y ago
      Happened to me, in ‘96. Brain tumor. I’m still here. I have work to do. Got a lot done, since. Whether or not it’s real, it’s a good story. I have known folks that have had similar stories. Last summer, I (and a bunch of friends) sat with an old buddy as he “pulled the plug,” and died from renal failure. It was sad, but it was also an Honor to have been part of it. Reminds me a bit of this old gem: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097487/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097487/
- sidpatil 5y ago
  > Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing "oh, but if only I'd been able to increase my employer's stock shareholder dividends a few percent more...". I'm reminded of this: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5-lDJWCUAAwfya.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5-lDJWCUAAwfya.jpg
- enw 5y ago
  But they might lie on the deathbed wishing "oh, I wish I'd made more money so I could've bought a house by the beach, that convertible Mercedes 190 SL, travelled more, eat more fine food, and been less afraid of splurging on expensive marvels of art and engineering".
  - coldtea 5y ago
    And someone else might have told them: And you think those things would make you happy? A "convertible Mercedes 190 SL" and "expensive marvels of art and engineering"? You trully didn't learn much your first time around...
    - freetime2 5y ago
      I think what people value is subjective. You might not care for cars, real estate, fine foods, art, or engineering - and that’s ok - but it seems perfectly reasonable to me that someone else might derive a lot of happy memories from those things. Especially when shared with people you love. They certainly wouldn’t make me less happy, that’s for sure!
      - ehnto 5y ago
        Food is essentially an experience, and everyone tells you time and again, to pay for experiences not things. If you've enjoyed it, especially with others as you said, there's no way you've wasted that money.
      - coldtea 5y ago
        >I think what people value is subjective. Yes. Like taste. But not all subjective choices are good. McDonalds will harm you more than healthy food.
        freetime2 5y ago
        I think that McDonald’s is also fine in moderation.
    - 5y ago
- wly_cdgr 5y ago
- refurb 5y ago
  No, but someone might say "I wish I worked another few years to pay off the house so my spouse doesn't have to worry after I'm gone."
- seanmcdirmid 5y ago
  > Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing "oh, but if only I'd been able to increase my employer's stock shareholder dividends a few percent more...". Go live your life before it's too late. Plenty lie on their deathbed and worry for the financial well being (among other things) of loved ones being left behind. You can’t take it with you, but it would be nice f your kid didn’t have to worry about affording college.
  - micromacrofoot 5y ago
    I'm more worried about leaving my kids in a world that will face widespread famine at this point.
- abledon 5y ago
  I stopped leetcoding after realising this a few years back lol
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
clutchdude 5y ago
I struggle with how to respond, knowing this. Corporate lawyers and their ilk are usually serving to hurt others because their employer want more and only that. This person actions, indirectly, could of caused 10x more suffering and cruelness in the world than the person parked next them at a waystation. I think the lesson I took from this is, that if your path isn't leading to good for others in someway, you are on the wrong path. If you wish for a peaceful death, that nagging feeling of regret will tug at you, making that tranquility much harder to find.

walrus01 5y ago

Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing "oh, but if only I'd been able to increase my employer's stock shareholder dividends a few percent more...". Go live your life before it's too late.

rdiddly 5y ago
Whatever inspiration can come from confronting one's own mortality, I'm all for it, but keep in mind, if you're not on your deathbed, you probably have rent due next month.
- madaxe_again 5y ago
  I had a near miss with illness six years ago, spent some fun time getting my affairs in order. At the same time, a close friend went from fine to a withered corpse in six weeks from aggressive cancer. I decided to throw everything to the wind, bugger the consequences, as my worst and best realisation was that my own impending doom filled me with relief at the prospect of release from my grinding existence. I still don’t quite know what was cause and effect, as my illness was spontaneous multiple organ failure for no good reason anyone could discern - but I resolved that if I lived, it would be to live, not to endure decades more of living death - and not long after that resolution, I improved, and found myself discharged, and incredibly grateful for the absolute basics of human existence - senses, mobility, possibility. So yeah. I had rent due the next month, but I decided to go live in a cabin in the woods instead. It’s six years now. The sky didn’t fall - in fact, I have never been so content, or so healthy - and on a way, I did die in 2016 - at any rate, the person I had been for the preceding 32 years did. Anyway. I ramble. My point was mainly that facing the mortality of someone close to you, or yourself, can have dramatic effects.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    That's quite the story! Fantastic to see you be able to turn your life around like that, some of what you wrote is eerily familiar to me, food for thought.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 5y ago
    Happened to me, in ‘96. Brain tumor. I’m still here. I have work to do. Got a lot done, since. Whether or not it’s real, it’s a good story. I have known folks that have had similar stories. Last summer, I (and a bunch of friends) sat with an old buddy as he “pulled the plug,” and died from renal failure. It was sad, but it was also an Honor to have been part of it. Reminds me a bit of this old gem: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097487/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097487/
sidpatil 5y ago
> Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing "oh, but if only I'd been able to increase my employer's stock shareholder dividends a few percent more...". I'm reminded of this: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5-lDJWCUAAwfya.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5-lDJWCUAAwfya.jpg
enw 5y ago
But they might lie on the deathbed wishing "oh, I wish I'd made more money so I could've bought a house by the beach, that convertible Mercedes 190 SL, travelled more, eat more fine food, and been less afraid of splurging on expensive marvels of art and engineering".
- coldtea 5y ago
  And someone else might have told them: And you think those things would make you happy? A "convertible Mercedes 190 SL" and "expensive marvels of art and engineering"? You trully didn't learn much your first time around...
  - freetime2 5y ago
    I think what people value is subjective. You might not care for cars, real estate, fine foods, art, or engineering - and that’s ok - but it seems perfectly reasonable to me that someone else might derive a lot of happy memories from those things. Especially when shared with people you love. They certainly wouldn’t make me less happy, that’s for sure!
    - ehnto 5y ago
      Food is essentially an experience, and everyone tells you time and again, to pay for experiences not things. If you've enjoyed it, especially with others as you said, there's no way you've wasted that money.
    - coldtea 5y ago
      >I think what people value is subjective. Yes. Like taste. But not all subjective choices are good. McDonalds will harm you more than healthy food.
      - freetime2 5y ago
        I think that McDonald’s is also fine in moderation.
  - 5y ago
wly_cdgr 5y ago
refurb 5y ago
No, but someone might say "I wish I worked another few years to pay off the house so my spouse doesn't have to worry after I'm gone."
seanmcdirmid 5y ago
> Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing "oh, but if only I'd been able to increase my employer's stock shareholder dividends a few percent more...". Go live your life before it's too late. Plenty lie on their deathbed and worry for the financial well being (among other things) of loved ones being left behind. You can’t take it with you, but it would be nice f your kid didn’t have to worry about affording college.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  I'm more worried about leaving my kids in a world that will face widespread famine at this point.
abledon 5y ago
I stopped leetcoding after realising this a few years back lol

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

clutchdude 5y ago

I struggle with how to respond, knowing this. Corporate lawyers and their ilk are usually serving to hurt others because their employer want more and only that. This person actions, indirectly, could of caused 10x more suffering and cruelness in the world than the person parked next them at a waystation. I think the lesson I took from this is, that if your path isn't leading to good for others in someway, you are on the wrong path. If you wish for a peaceful death, that nagging feeling of regret will tug at you, making that tranquility much harder to find.