i think part of it is this difference between ice cream and a great conversation, which is that i'm enjoying this conversation right now. I will enjoy this conversation going forward, because things will i'll remember things from it. It's about how you relate to them. You could be driven to produce a successful broadcast, and wee called every week. And it could be a relentless sort of project of hard work in which you have to keep focused. But the question can still arise, is it purely in checking the boxes, or is there a value in the atilic on going interaction here?
John Stuart Mill's midlife crisis came at 20 when he realized that if he got what he desired he still wouldn't be happy. Art and poetry (and maybe love) saved the day for him. In this week's episode, philosopher Kieran Setiya of MIT talks about his book Midlife with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Setiya argues we can learn from Mill to help deal with the ennui to which so many midlifers succumb--along with regrets for roads not taken and wistfulness for what could have been. Setiya argues that a well-lived life needs fewer projects and more pursuits that don't have goals or endpoints. He explains why past mistakes can turn out to be good things and how lost chances can help us appreciate the richness of life.