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Nine things I learned in ninety years

edwardpackard.com

131–140 of 405 posts

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#131

EP did not say he achieved #1; about #2, "I spent much of my life in this state, and I know all about it."; "I first considered what seemed to be in my best interest, or, more often, gave no thought to the matter at all." is his take on #3; "my normal slouch" in #4; he makes no claim to have gained an eternal perspective, merely quoting others in #5; that "cloud of uncertainty" gives little confidence in #6; being 90…

Do you prefer to fly with pilots who have never landed a plane?

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#134
post #36

> what an outsized role is played by luck This speaks to me. So much of our life circumstances are beyond our control (parents, genetics, geography, society, wider economy, etc.) It's humbling, how much of our success or failure is influenced by pure chance.

It's wild how much of what we chalk up to merit is really just the invisible scaffolding of luck: being born in the right place, with the right wiring, at the right time...

The problem lies in the word "we". I personally don't think this, and neither do most other people who gave this subject some thought.

It's just that silly ideas get to live around for a long time, and simply proving them false has little to no effect.

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#136

EP did not say he achieved #1; about #2, "I spent much of my life in this state, and I know all about it."; "I first considered what seemed to be in my best interest, or, more often, gave no thought to the matter at all." is his take on #3; "my normal slouch" in #4; he makes no claim to have gained an eternal perspective, merely quoting others in #5; that "cloud of uncertainty" gives little confidence in #6; being 90…

> I prefer advice from someone currently living life, learning and adjusting and growing now... not at the end when it doesn't matter.

He spent time to think about what he's learned and decided to put it in writing at 94 years old. He seems to still be avid reader at his age. He still thinks about ideas of living a fulfilling life. It seems to me he's still currently living life, learning and adjusting and growing now. There may even be a lesson there to having a long life: It always matters. What do you consider the end?

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#137

EP did not say he achieved #1; about #2, "I spent much of my life in this state, and I know all about it."; "I first considered what seemed to be in my best interest, or, more often, gave no thought to the matter at all." is his take on #3; "my normal slouch" in #4; he makes no claim to have gained an eternal perspective, merely quoting others in #5; that "cloud of uncertainty" gives little confidence in #6; being 90…

At some point, another old man would write a pdf proposing you live a certain way contradicting what they have lived.

These learnings are as helpful as life advice based on the positions of stars.

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#138

>“It’s not so difficult to be a buddha,” says Thich Nhat Hanh. “Just keep your awakening alive all day long.” And it’s not too complicated to be a permanent tightrope walker either: just stay calm, still and balanced. While ninjas with ignited swords jump all around you and acid-proof sharks lurks at you from the sour sea waiting your fall. Sleepwalking, that’s a perfect title for our current Zeitgeist indeed. Ok, th…

I wonder if it's a mistranslation and Hanh means it's not complicated to be a Buddha. Many things in life are very simple, and also very hard.

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#139

EP did not say he achieved #1; about #2, "I spent much of my life in this state, and I know all about it."; "I first considered what seemed to be in my best interest, or, more often, gave no thought to the matter at all." is his take on #3; "my normal slouch" in #4; he makes no claim to have gained an eternal perspective, merely quoting others in #5; that "cloud of uncertainty" gives little confidence in #6; being 90…

yes. why do we listen to this guy compared to any other 90 years old person? most people would listen to him because he is monetarily successful or because “he made it”. but as he points out, most of it was luck, so there’s really no point in paying closer attention to him than to any other older person that would like to give away his or her advice. number 4 is literally “I read a meme on fb that said that you should be happy now”. great advice. i was hoping he would say something like “i saw this quote and that triggered an interest in buddhist philosophy or meditation”. instead he ends that advice with “i saw another post on fb that confirmed this idea”

i understand he has no obligation to give any good reason for his advice, he just felt like giving it, and that’s nice of him. i would just suggest younger people not to waste too much time listening to “successful people” (whatever that means) on advice because it’s usually not applicable anymore or at all and is just entertainment with no real value

Re: Nine things I learned in ninety years

#140
> 6) to guard against self-deception

Honesty begins with and includes being honest with yourself. There are a great many people who expend great cognitive dissonance mental gymnastics entrenching themselves into and lashing their identity to a particular group or side of an issue, e.g., climate change denial. The only people they are fooling are fools including themselves.

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