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I don't find it heartbreaking, but it is somewhat fascinating. While it's understandable to call it a mental illness at a young age, Martin is 60 and well past

I don't find it heartbreaking, but it is somewhat fascinating. While it's understandable to call it a mental illness at a young age, Martin is 60 and well past his prime and is right in what he's saying. What value does he really have if he feels "done"? Who are we to say he made a wrong decision? I might feel the same way at 60 or 70, not that I'll be a making a website about it, but then I'm not writing books either.

Xcelerate 13y ago
> Martin is 60 and well past his prime Which isn't even half the age of the oldest person to ever live. I think quality of life at 60 varies a lot person to person. Of course your physical capabilities will have peaked, but that doesn't at all imply your ability to enjoy life has. Heck, I was reading a 100-year old recently completed a marathon, which is more than most my age (23) are capable of doing. I'm sure there are plenty of people who had a miserable youth but had very enjoyable years toward the end of their life.
- ddeck 13y ago
  I agree with all of your points, but despite writing that he has no physical health issues, it seems he was beginning to experience a pretty significant mental decline: >I was sick of having to dig through the trash to find an envelope that was sent to me so I could remember my own address - especially since I lived in the same place for the last nine years!
ForrestN 13y ago
He's right because he 'feels "done?"' He feels done because he is paranoid and lonely and feels bad about himself, because he seems to have profound psychological pain. Glorifying his manic, grandiose justifications is a terrible idea, even if horror is sometimes fascinating. He felt done because he was using cliches about aging to rage at himself. There is no "prime" after which the value of your life declines. If your conception of yourself is that you only deserve to live insofar as you can perform as a young person would, you aren't admirably rational, you're just self-loathing.

Xcelerate 13y ago

> Martin is 60 and well past his prime Which isn't even half the age of the oldest person to ever live. I think quality of life at 60 varies a lot person to person. Of course your physical capabilities will have peaked, but that doesn't at all imply your ability to enjoy life has. Heck, I was reading a 100-year old recently completed a marathon, which is more than most my age (23) are capable of doing. I'm sure there are plenty of people who had a miserable youth but had very enjoyable years toward the end of their life.

ddeck 13y ago
I agree with all of your points, but despite writing that he has no physical health issues, it seems he was beginning to experience a pretty significant mental decline: >I was sick of having to dig through the trash to find an envelope that was sent to me so I could remember my own address - especially since I lived in the same place for the last nine years!

ForrestN 13y ago

He's right because he 'feels "done?"' He feels done because he is paranoid and lonely and feels bad about himself, because he seems to have profound psychological pain. Glorifying his manic, grandiose justifications is a terrible idea, even if horror is sometimes fascinating. He felt done because he was using cliches about aging to rage at himself. There is no "prime" after which the value of your life declines. If your conception of yourself is that you only deserve to live insofar as you can perform as a young person would, you aren't admirably rational, you're just self-loathing.