The Life of Subtraction

Recently I saw a concept: The Life of Subtraction, which is to lower your expectations for things. I feel very touched.

These expectations for things include relationships, material things, achievements, or any uncontrollable things, which are the life philosophy that to reduce stress and find what really matters in your life.

I feel this because this concept is connected to a book I like very much: Being Mortal.

About the author

The author is an Indian-American physician and a winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Both his parents are physicians, and the author accompanied his father on his final journey when he was old. The concept he has constantly emphasized in this book is :

• How do we face death?
• How can we use a more empathetic attitude to respect the lifestyle that every elder wants in their later years?
• Modern medicine has weakened the emotional function/autonomy of patients, and the focus must be on respecting autonomy.
• Live a dignified life as long as your physical condition allows.
• What truly matters in life.

Companionship and autonomy

The book is related to this theme about the state of mind of dying people (especially those who are seriously ill) in the last stage of life. What most people value most at this stage is actually very simple: companionship and autonomy.

For example, you can accompany your loved ones in a comfortable state, eat what you like, do the things you like, without bothering or dragging down your family, and share memories with the people around you. In fact, I was a little shocked when I read this book, because I am now 28 years old and don’t really think about this. But after reading this book, I started to think about what my priorities are in life. Those great achievements in life seem not to be so important when death comes.

Although sometimes I read some books that I don’t understand very well, and I even think of some viewpoints? I don't quite understand. Is it true? Just like this book.

I will try to record these conflicting concepts and then maybe share them sometime in the future, which probably will have spark with some people.

Well I don’t really feel the same way about this book now, because at this age, I am fully pursuing growth and imagining the future. Maybe there are some points that I will suddenly understand at a certain stage in my life.

Life is limited, what is the most important thing to you?