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Sam Rittenberg's avatar

Beautifully written, wonderful reference, and a super clip! Thanks for all three. I would only add that the phenomena that you describe is a universal one. It is embarrassingly visible in the three men you mention, but it is equally visible and equally embarrassing in political players of all stripes.

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Erin E.'s avatar

I’ve known more than a few middle aged men who have walked away from their families, seemingly out of nowhere. I hope they at least found some happiness, but I can’t imagine that starting over as a bachelor in an apartment is awfully fulfilling.

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David Roberts's avatar

That's one path that never entered my mind.

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cynthia wasserberger's avatar

Loved all these references - particularly timely with today's James Webb telescope images that can make everything feel really small and insignificant!

We are constantly discussing with Julia the perils of caring too much about things that we ultimately have little control over or won't matter in the long run (i.e. has anyone's 10th grade chemistry grade defined / ruined / altered their life?) It's a balance between "it just doesn't matter" and "make a plan and God laughs"!

PS - as Simon can attest, the only thing that got me through 11 hours of LOTR movies was Viggo Mortensen.

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David Roberts's avatar

That last line in your comment really madde me laugh!

And those images are truly startling.

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Jonathan Glynn's avatar

Nice. Thank you. I know the feeling and believe we can always revive a dream journey as we get older even if we don’t go anywhere or the fact that its signifies nothing. I think we can in a small way too influence people to make a small difference to a better world, while we and the world are still here!

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