4 korrents from this piece
Every claim below was made in this piece, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.
Our reading
Living for as long as possible is worth wanting: if you enjoy life now, more of it is simply better.
Their wordsThis seems like an easy yes. If you enjoy life right now, why not get more of it?
Our reading
A very long life would not grow boring, because pleasures spaced far enough apart do not wear out.
Their wordsThere are things that we naturally take pleasure in—such as friendship, sex, and Italian food—and while we can become sick of anything if continually exposed to it in large doses, we don’t get tired of these things if they are properly distributed in time.
Their wordsBut when I think about all the goals I have in my life right now—finish this Substack, get the house ready for some visitors, prepare a course for next year, write a paper, etc.—none of it is driven by an appreciation of my mortality.
Their wordsBut there’s no overall narrative arc—it’s just been one thing after another.