Thumbs up to Rules for Aging: Resist Normal Impulses, Live Longer, Attain Perfection
I hesitated whether to categorize this book as “self-help” or “humor.” It’s very funny, but like most humor, it’s funny because it’s true. By all means, read it to laugh, which is what I did; that it’s good advice is just gravy. Such as my favorite, Rule #42, which I always try to live by: “The unexamined life lasts longer”:
“People have been living for over a hundred post-Freudian years with the idea that prolonged and continuous introspection is good for one’s mental health, thus they fail to remember how miserable doing this makes them. A certain amount of self-examination is useful, but even that should be directed toward what to do in a given situation and not at who you are. However full your nights are with self-recrimination, you are probably all right as a person (most people are). How you ought to act when this or that occurs is another matter, and you might give that some self-inspecting thought – two minutes, if you are being honest with yourself – five, if you want to be dishonest first and then work your way around to the truth. Otherwise, aim your thoughts outward. Go for a run. Make a vase. Read a book. Yes, read a book where you can examine someone else’s miserable life. Enjoy.”
If you enjoyed this post, please share it!