October 17, 2025
Today’s Thought of the Day and Question of the Day dig deep into two things humans spend an unreasonable amount of time trying to avoid thinking about: mortality and stupidity. Both sneak up on us when we least expect it, and both leave others to deal with the mess. This post takes a look at what it means to live (and think) before our time runs out, and how to make sure we’re not the last to realize we’re the problem.
Thought of the Day
“When you are dead, you do not know that you are dead. All of the pain is felt by others. The same thing happens when you are stupid.”
There’s a dark, beautiful symmetry in that quote, it’s funny until you realize how true it is. Death and stupidity share a weird common thread: obliviousness. The dead don’t know they’re gone, and the foolish rarely know they’re foolish. Everyone else just has to deal with the fallout.
I’ve seen both up close. Not literal death (thankfully), but definitely the slow-motion kind that happens when people stop paying attention, to their actions, their words, or the impact they’re having. Whether it’s someone who can’t take a hint, won’t admit they’re wrong, or just refuses to listen to reason, stupidity spreads pain like secondhand smoke.
And yet, we all have our moments of being the “stupid one.” The person who can’t see what’s obvious to everyone else. The one doubling down on the bad idea because pride whispers, “You’ve come this far…” It’s humbling to realize that sometimes, we are the source of someone else’s facepalm.
Maybe the real lesson is to notice when we’re the punchline. To step back before we become the cautionary tale. Because while you can’t fix death, you can at least cure stupidity, with awareness, humility, and a willingness to laugh at yourself before others do.
If that hits close to home, you might also like “What part of your life is circling the drain the fastest?” or “People want you to do well, but not better than them.”—both explore the uncomfortable truths we’d rather not admit out loud.
Question of the Day
“Would you rather know when you are going to die or how it will happen?”
Neither sounds great, honestly. Knowing when would turn every calendar reminder into a countdown clock. Knowing how would make you paranoid every time something even remotely related came up. “Heart attack,” and you’d start judging every cheeseburger like it’s a loaded gun. “Car accident,” and suddenly walking everywhere doesn’t sound so bad.
I think most people say they’d rather not know at all, but deep down, we all kind of want to. It’s human nature to crave control, even over the things we can’t change. We want to prepare, to plan, to make sense of it. But death doesn’t negotiate. It shows up when it’s ready, not when we are.
So maybe the better question isn’t when or how, but what are you doing in the meantime?
If you knew your clock was ticking down, would you finally forgive that person? Start the project you keep putting off? Say what you mean, while you still can?
Most of us live like we have unlimited time. But imagine if we didn’t. The truth is, we’re all terminal. The only variable is how aware we are of it. So while I wouldn’t want to know my expiration date, I do want to live like it could be tomorrow, less stupid, more intentional, and hopefully with fewer people rolling their eyes behind my back.
If you liked this one, you might also enjoy “At the beginning of last week, did you expect the week to have many joys or many frustrations?”because how we expect to live shapes how we actually do.
Explore life’s darker humor in today’s Thought of the Day and Question of the Day: “When you are dead, you don’t know that you are dead…” and “Would you rather know when or how you’ll die?” A reflection on awareness, mortality, and meaning.
What about you?
Would you rather know when or how, or would you rather stay blissfully ignorant and just live your best (possibly stupid) life?
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