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mike parwana's avatar

Humans are prone to following individuals rather than precepts.

Humans also enjoy the adulation that high positions of power bring. Narcissism of office, it happens at every level of government. Even here in Queensbury.

If we want better leaders we need to change our culture, but that is a long term goal and we could lose democracy in the short term first.

When the nation was founded average life expectancy was about 40. So 35 seemed like a reasonable age to assure a degree of maturity and of vigor. Of course at the time many people died at birth for in childhood so if you lived to 35 chances were that you’d live much longer.

Current life expectancy is around 78 - I haven’t checked exactly and the pandemic changed it a bit. But if you live to 78 there’s a reasonable chance you’ll live to 88 or 90.

But as you note, there are 3rd acts, and we have some good examples of presidents who have engaged in 3rd acts. John Quincy Adams returned to Congress after his presidency. People thought that was weird but he felt he had more to give. Jimmy Carter is a tremendous example of a person who made major efforts in health and democracy around the world while still doing humble work building homes for ordinary people.

Bill Clinton and Obama have been busy with their foundations. Maybe the jury is still out on them.

GWB? Well, he paints himself in the bathtub.

And Donald Trump? He has spent his time trying to stay out of jail and working to upend democracy. So you can see that even old guys can stay busy.

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Don Shuler's avatar

Thanks, Ken! Very insightful.

If you are in the third act, I must be playing the encore—as I hit 88 in a few months.

Throughout our life together, Meg and I have used the word “intentionality” as our motivating factor. For us, intentionality means making things happen rather than just letting them happen. In old age that means being intentional about nurturing body, mind, and spirit as long as we are able.

As I often closed my seminars on aging, “Remember that the sunset of life can be as beautiful as the sunrise.”

P.S. I am writing from Planet Fitness

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