The Mid Life Crisis

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I see i'm happier than i was 20 years ago, at least o thata. That's interesting. And your book has a lot of personl thoughts on your own demeanour and well being, which are quite interesting. I don't believe in in im that you compare happinesses. But i don't think i'm suffering for the mid life crisis. The issues i have addressed apply to almost anyone, not just a privileged few. We all face loss and limitation, roads not taken, chances missed. We make mistakes, survive misfortunes, see our efforts fail, and in the end, we die.

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.