61–70 of 95 posts
Cicero, like many other philosophers of antiquity, places ultimate value on the goal of 'a life well-lived'. In this essay, he basically says 'old age is fine, if you lived a good life beforehand', and hedges by saying death's no big deal. Which is, of course, rubbish. That's not really how life works: rewards rarely follow your efforts to live a good life. There are often no rewards at all; a life of diligent saving…
I still think we should make longevity research a priority.
That, and how virtually every company loses tanks (mainly through power failure) and then says oops.
Speaking of failure, either Thiel and Brin are doing just that on the topic, or they are really good at keeping secrets.
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Thanks. Any philosophy trying to make “old age” into something positive is a cop-out. There is nothing positive about seeing your mind and body slowly decay.
Well, "old" is relative. There is a difference between being 60 and being 90 years old. Does getting wiser, calmer, and more mentally balanced constitute a mind decay? Doesn't the fact that you no longer have to exert yourself as much as you did before so in fact you have a better rest and sleep better mean that your body is doing just fine (not looking "young" notwithstanding)?
I really wish I could believe your post though.
There's no reason we should accept the consequences of old age without a fight. Donate to SENS, or even better, dedicate your own work to extending human healthspan.
See also: The Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant by CGP Grey — https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cZYNADOHhVY
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That'd totally suck if you were to hear him say it here and now. In the context of the Roman empire and the period Cicero wrote this it would probably not register much, except for with a few 'activist' types like Spartacus. Take the way things are done currently which you more or less accept as normal, e.g. the state demands part of your income with the threat of force if you don't comply. Fast-forward to a new age…
Did you seriously just turn a point about slavery into a rant that you have to pay taxes? Lol
No, I did not just turn a point about slavery into a rant that you have to pay taxes. I used taxes as an example of something which might be seen in a totally different light in some future society. I might as well have used the Indian caste system or some religious dogma but did not, instead I used something which everyone has experience with.
Also, lol, seriously? Is this Hacker News or is it Slashdot?
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Did you seriously just turn a point about slavery into a rant that you have to pay taxes? Lol
He or she did indeed do that. I find the constant ranting about taxation here very trying, I frequent many financial and more "right-wing" forums, but HN is the only place I commonly see the taxation is theft argument made seriously on a regular basis. I'd love to know why that is, but it appears to be one of life's great mysteries. My mother's advice on this still stays with me: never look at your gross pay, and you…
It might help you understand that your rant is misplaced since my comparison only works because taxation is seen as something normal in current society. Had it been seen in the light you portray it the comparison would not hold.
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You might want to check out the more poetically-sensible Seneca, who was born a little after his fellow Roman, Cicero, and wasn't particularly fond of him. Seneca too addresses the "growing old" topic quite often and incessantly in his (124 excellent) letters and other essays. Allow me to quote from his Letter 12 ("Visiting a childhood home"): [quote] "... Let us embrace old age and love it. It is full of pleasure if…
There's a lot to be said for the Stoics. The trick, I think, is that you have to begin it early. It's easy to skip the your-son-may-be-dead-in-the-morning when you're young and your son probably won't be dead. But if he dies, you can't pick up The Consolation of Philosophy and get sudden consolation. It avoids the unpleasant shift -- and perhaps just smoothes out the constant amount of unpleasantness over time.
Agree on "no sudden consolation": Let's take Cicero himself, with all his treatises about how to bravely face death or pain, or how "the wise man is never unhappy", et al. When his daughter died unexpectedly, he was absolutely inconsolable (a normal reaction for any of us). His immediate response to suffering was to read: "At your house I read everything that anyone has ever written on the alleviation of sorrow," he wrote to a friend some three weeks after Tullia (his daughter) died, "but my grief defeats every consolation".
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Thanks. Any philosophy trying to make “old age” into something positive is a cop-out. There is nothing positive about seeing your mind and body slowly decay.
Well, "old" is relative. There is a difference between being 60 and being 90 years old. Does getting wiser, calmer, and more mentally balanced constitute a mind decay? Doesn't the fact that you no longer have to exert yourself as much as you did before so in fact you have a better rest and sleep better mean that your body is doing just fine (not looking "young" notwithstanding)?
yeah but you die.
Cicero, like many other philosophers of antiquity, places ultimate value on the goal of 'a life well-lived'. In this essay, he basically says 'old age is fine, if you lived a good life beforehand', and hedges by saying death's no big deal. Which is, of course, rubbish. That's not really how life works: rewards rarely follow your efforts to live a good life. There are often no rewards at all; a life of diligent saving…
It's really odd of you saying that for Buddhism, life a "dance". This is really not what Buddhism is about. Sounds more like Nietzsche to me (an anti-buddhist). Buddhism is about virtue, the four noble truths and following the noble eight-fold path.
'old age is fine, if you lived a good life beforehand' - this truly rings true in Buddhism, as your actions in this life determines your place of rebirth in the next.
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[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/termin...
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.