PicoBlog

Memento mori is one of the most popular phrases in history. It’s not a piece of groundbreaking wisdom or an idea that changed everything. It’s simply a reminder that you will die one day, and nothing can be done about it. Everything you feel, think, and do will cease to exist and nobody knows for sure what comes next. Afterlife or infinite darkness? Reincarnation or turning into a ghost?

This can be worrying. One time I was thinking about it, led me to an existential crisis where I just kept thinking about the meaning of everything. Eventually, it comes down to one thing: what comes after death is probably infinite darkness. It can feel gut-wrenching, but it’s not that bad. Mostly because you won’t care. One blink. This is what infinite darkness feels like.

With that in mind, life contrasts heavily with its end or whatever comes after. Just like most religions and philosophies in the world, memento mori uses death as a reality check.

Memento mori is probably the most important thing you will ever remind yourself of.

Picture life as an infinite buffet with the best food in the world. But it only feels infinite- you know that food won’t last forever and you will probably get used to all of these fantastic dishes. Well, one day, this buffet ends and you are left without anything. You wish you enjoyed it more. You wish you savoured every bit of it. You thought it was infinite. The experience fell short of your expectations.

This highlights the importance of taking a step back in your life. A significant part of our average day is spent on autopilot and we perceive time relatively. This is dangerous because if you don’t stop to reflect, all of the time can just go by.

Memento mori helps us find what we truly prioritize in life. What will you miss about the buffet? Is there anything you would have eaten more or would have loved to try? A purposeful life means a life with direction and priorities. Memento mori is a perfect tool to find both.

It’s interesting how different philosophies view death. For example, Stoics would face death and remind themselves that it’s unavoidable, it’s out of their control. Even the greatest minds are gone because of it. As Marcus Aurelius says, it’s unharmful and we should not fear death. He used it as a reminder to have a life that he won’t regret.

“Since it is possible that you might depart from life this very moment, regulate every act and thought accordingly.”

- Marcus Aurelius

Buddhists practice impermanence: we should understand that the only constant thing is change. Buddhism proposes the life cycle, where death is the inevitable part of the cycle of reincarnation.

According to one of my favourite philosophies, death is “of no concern” to Epicureans. The philosophy encourages its followers to accept death to fully enjoy life. The point of Epicureanism is enjoying life, so letting go of death is a big part of that. Death is an unnecessary stressor. Without it, we can be more present.

“Death, the most dreaded of evils, is therefore of no concern to us; for while we exist death is not present, and when death is present we no longer exist. It is therefore nothing either to the living or to the dead since it is not present to the living, and the dead no longer are.”

― Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus

Death is the greatest motivator. We gain an incredible amount of perspective when we think about it. That’s why memento mori is so popular. You only live once and that’s the best motivation you need.

“Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.”

– William Somerset Maugham, English playwright and novelist

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know how you interpret Memento Mori in the comments, I am interested to see your perspective :) Have a great week!

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