the referrendum

[rm]

http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/the-referendum/

Quite a lot of what passes itself off as a dialogue about our society consists of people trying to justify their own choices as the only right or natural ones by denouncing others’ as selfish or pathological or wrong. So it’s easy to overlook that hidden beneath all this smug certainty is a poignant insecurity, and the naked 3 A.M. terror of regret.

The problem is, we only get one chance at this, with no do-overs. Life is, in effect, a non-repeatable experiment with no control.

1. I loved this piece, and it's worth reading.

2. It made me think, "This is why people like stories about vampires and other long-lived/immortal creatures, because it can seem like a life with do-overs. But it's not -- that's the horror."

Comments

[sykii.livejournal.com]

That is a gorgeous essay. And oh so painfully relevant to everything.

[argentla.livejournal.com]

I think the piece is smarmy and smug, and is guilty of precisely the things it claims to dissect.

I am continually amazed that people consider themselves so clever for making observations like "life is like a game with no do-overs." The banality of anyone who considers that insightful is quite staggering.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Yup, there's a lot of truth in that. It may seem banal, but it bears reminding.

[splix.livejournal.com]

Some of that really hit home. Thanks for the link.

[angstzeit.livejournal.com]

Amusing--nabbed.

[sunnysky.livejournal.com]

mmm, that was a fantastic article, chock full of truths. thanks for sharing! :)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm a woman who is choosing not to have children, and this article had a couple of interesting thoughts (particularly the part about people wanting reassurance that their own choices were right by putting down others).

There's a lot of what I tend to call "petty high school bullshit" going on in the world because people are so nosy about other people's personal choices that don't affect them at all. So what if you want to get married and I don't? My not having children effects you...how?

Thanks for linking the article. I wouldn't have seen it otherwise.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

“It’s not as if being married means you’re any less alone.”
Yes, good.

[angstzeit.livejournal.com]

This struck me too.

We live as we dream, alone.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

I realised after that the author is both the "I <3 Pluto" and the "Blowing One's Cool in the Clutch" guy.