How (Not) To Grow Old

[+ MasssageGuy]

Bertrand Russell’s Advice For How (Not) to Grow Old: “Make Your Interests Gradually Wider and More Impersonal”

 

He wrote this when he was 81 years old. I'm not there yet. About 10 years away.

 

It would be interesting to hear advice from others in this forum on how they approach "growing old".

 

Actually, isn't it interesting in that we refer to it as GROWING old. It implies we are still growing in our interests and learning.

 

"The best way to overcome it [the fear of death]—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river: small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will not be unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do and content in the thought that what was possible has been done. "

 

Full read is here.

https://sites.google.com/site/gobenyan/essay

[rvwnsd]

I’m nowhere near 81 (law 50s) but I look at the topic as follows:

 

Growing old

[+ MasssageGuy]

I’m nowhere near 81 (law 50s) but I look at the topic as follows:

 

Growing old

Totally agree!

[Rudynate]

I don't think that much about age. I'm 66-just completed another bodybuilding contest. No plans to retire in the near future. I would like to have more time for just relaxing and screwing around.

[Rudynate]

I don't think that much about age. I'm 66-just completed another bodybuilding contest. No plans to retire in the near future. I would like to have more time for just relaxing and screwing around.

[+ bashful]

It wasn't until I was 58 that I hired, and was with a man for the first time. It was my try before I die thing, and am glad for it. Have met a few others. No regrets. Now in my 60's, I'm beginning to be more conscious of living without regrets.

[+ MasssageGuy]

It wasn't until I was 58 that I hired, and was with a man for the first time. It was my try before I die thing, and am glad for it. Have met a few others. No regrets. Now in my 60's, I'm beginning to be more conscious of living without regrets.

That's a beautiful thing to share. I'm so glad you are not really "bashful".

 

I recently watched this video by Bertrand Russel as to what Christianity does to us and how it fills us with guilt.

 

Live without regrets my friend.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F6J8o7AAe8

[+ MasssageGuy]

It’s unfair to single out Christianity as causing guilt. Any standard of comparison can be a source of guilt...the law, interpersonal expectations, etc.

 

I believe Gandhi said “I might have been a Christian, but then I met one”...it is unfair to broadly characterize any belief system based on the lowest common denominator of its proponents

I agree. As Bertrand says in his 1927 recording, it is essentially all organized religions that use techniques of guilt, punishment, etc. to keep their flocks in line.

[+ Charlie]

At the end of every year, I write an annual letter which I include with holiday cards to old friends and relations whom I haven't had contact with during the year. Each year more of them come back to me marked "undeliverable" because the recipient no longer has a forwarding address on the Earth. Last month I called an old friend to congratulate him on his 88th birthday; I asked how he was doing, and his only comment was, "I'm slowly dying." I have already lived longer than my father did, and have outlived most of my cousins, not to mention many friends and lovers. I think a lot about growing old at this time of year.

 

Russell's comments offer the consolation to individuals that although their own lives will end, they will merge into the the everlasting stream of humanity. It's a nice idea, but it takes for granted that humankind and the earth on which it exists is eternally stable. What if homo sapiens goes extinct, or evolves into a being that we would no longer recognize as resembling us? What if the Earth which has been our only home is no longer habitable for us? It is no wonder that so many in their old age turn to religions that promise immortality for the individual in some spiritual realm.

[+ MasssageGuy]

At the end of every year, I write an annual letter which I include with holiday cards to old friends and relations whom I haven't had contact with during the year. Each year more of them come back to me marked "undeliverable" because the recipient no longer has a forwarding address on the Earth. Last month I called an old friend to congratulate him on his 88th birthday; I asked how he was doing, and his only comment was, "I'm slowly dying." I have already lived longer than my father did, and have outlived most of my cousins, not to mention many friends and lovers. I think a lot about growing old at this time of year.

 

Russell's comments offer the consolation to individuals that although their own lives will end, they will merge into the the everlasting stream of humanity. It's a nice idea, but it takes for granted that humankind and the earth on which it exists is eternally stable. What if homo sapiens goes extinct, or evolves into a being that we would no longer recognize as resembling us? What if the Earth which has been our only home is no longer habitable for us? It is no wonder that so many in their old age turn to religions that promise immortality for the individual in some spiritual realm.

 

“You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.”

― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

 

 

“As far as we can tell from a purely scientific viewpoint, human life has absolutely no meaning. Humans are the outcome of blind evolutionary processes that operate without goal or purpose. Our actions are not part of some divine cosmic plan, and if planet earth were to blow up tomorrow morning, the universe would probably keep going about its business as usual. As far as we can tell at this point, human subjectivity would not be missed. Hence any meaning that people inscribe to their lives is just a delusion.”

― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

[+ Charlie]

“You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.”

― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

 

 

“As far as we can tell from a purely scientific viewpoint, human life has absolutely no meaning. Humans are the outcome of blind evolutionary processes that operate without goal or purpose. Our actions are not part of some divine cosmic plan, and if planet earth were to blow up tomorrow morning, the universe would probably keep going about its business as usual. As far as we can tell at this point, human subjectivity would not be missed. Hence any meaning that people inscribe to their lives is just a delusion.”

― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

I happen to fully agree with both of these quotes, but I don't find them comforting.

[+ Pensant]

I don't think that much about age. I'm 66-just completed another bodybuilding contest. No plans to retire in the near future. I would like to have more time for just relaxing and screwing around.

That’s awesome! I’ve had to let up on the heavy deadlifting on the advice of my doctor. BP can hit 300/200 on > body weight deadlifts.

[Rudynate]

That’s awesome! I’ve had to let up on the heavy deadlifting on the advice of my doctor. BP can hit 300/200 on > body weight deadlifts.

 

 

I have had two spine surgeries, so I don't use a lot of resistance for squats, deadlifts. As a matter of fact, my current trainer/coach has me avoid those exercises altogether. Instead of dead lifts, I do rack pulls. Instead of barbell squats, I do goblet squats. Maybe you could have your guy design some workarounds like that.

[+ Pensant]

I have had two spine surgeries, so I don't use a lot of resistance for squats, deadlifts. As a matter of fact, my current trainer/coach has me avoid those exercises altogether. Instead of dead lifts, I do rack pulls. Instead of barbell squats, I do goblet squats. Maybe you could have your guy design some workarounds like that.

Oh, I have adequate workarounds, thank goodness! Big kettlebell fan here!

[Rudynate]

I have only used them in HIIT workouts. Pavel Tsatsouline popularized them in this country. I have some of his materials. Total stud.