Sam Harris

I have long thought that any bold, new theory is best prefaced by quotes from both Stephen Fry and Marcellus Wallace, as they are so similar in their philosophic outlook on our human circumstance and they also share a familiarity with anal intercourse.

In ‘Moab is my wash pot’, Stephen’s autobiography, he recalls writing at the tender age of 18..:” All beauty was in the past. Again and again I wrote in poems, in notes, on scraps of paper; My whole life stretched out gloriously behind me.”
Far more eloquently Marcellus gives this advice to a boxer who is at the end of his career:  You see, this profession is filled to the brim with unrealistic motherfuckers. Motherfuckers who thought their ass would age like wine. If you mean it turns to vinegar, it does. If you mean it gets better with age, it don’t.

Both these wise sages hit upon the same inconvenient truth…
Youth is better than old age.
You can cherry-pick and say that there are some advantages to getting older, which is true, but I wonder if any of you talented, sweet-smelling and well-behaved atheists can tell me with a straight virtual face that they prefer being 40, 50 and 60 over the experience of being an adolescent.

This bitter and narcissistic post was inspired by a new band I came across when listening to my XM satellite radio while I was trying not to get killed on Chicago’s clogged and insane freeways.

I rarely listen to ‘new’ music and usually I venture back to my own adolescent preferences and pop in a worn CD by The Sundays or The Smiths or Roxy Music, but this song struck a cord in me and I absolutely love it.
There is something about the experience of seeing the world for the first time that can not be replaced.
I know I am not alone in this otherwise The Catcher in the Rye wouldn’t still be well-stocked in my local B and N.
Still I wonder what you fine people think about the beautiful pain of being young.

Here’s the song that inspired this post… ‘Time to pretend’ by MGMT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVnRzEjpUmE

“Live fast and die young.” Nice song - sort of a rehash of the old “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Depends on what race you like the best - 100 meter dash or marathon. More scenery on the marathon. You cover the stuff they cover in the 100, only you do it slower. I guess I’m in it for the long haul. But, getting older, in and of itself, is not much fun. Nothing stays up as long or comes out as fast (gotta eat more watermelon and drink more prune juice). Getting old - it’s not for sissies.

Sander: 07 July 2008 09:06 PM
Both these wise sages hit upon the same inconvenient truth… ?Youth is better than old age. ?You can cherry-pick and say that there are some advantages to getting older, which is true, but I wonder if any of you talented, sweet-smelling and well-behaved atheists can tell me with a straight virtual face that they prefer being 40, 50 and 60 over the experience of being an adolescent.
This bitter and narcissistic post was inspired by a new band I came across when listening to my XM satellite radio while I was trying not to get killed on Chicago’s clogged and insane freeways.

Very good video Sander, I enjoyed it.  Youth is better than old age, no matter what’s said (I say as my years slip by all too rapidly).  Why is it just when we get used to being 19, we’re 23?  Just when we’re getting used to being 23, we’re 31?  Just when we’re getting used to 38, we’re now 45??  And just getting used to that, we’re now 55??
It seems we are always just beginning.
I don’t get this aging thing at all.