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Which of these is a better life? Live fast; die young - a life filled with excitement passion and adventure which ends abruptly on your 30th birthday. Or: Slow and steady wins the race - a life of contentment and satisfaction but little out of the ordinary which lasts well into your dotage.
Accepted:
November 4, 2005

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Peter S. Fosl
November 12, 2005 (changed November 12, 2005) Permalink

There is no single answer to this question, just as there is no best life. There are many good lives, and many fitting each of these descriptions. Different characters will find different lives good. For myself, I say, on balance the latter is to be preferred. I find myself in agreement with the ancient Epicureans that most agitating passions produce more unhappiness than happiness, and that easy natural pleasures are better than artificial dynamic pleasures. Tranquility punctuated by ecstatic moments looks pretty good from where I sit.

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