You can’t reach old age by another man’s road, my habits protect my life but they would assassinate you.
—Mark Twain
I wonder if he was talking about his cigar smoking, or…? I’m sure the habits that give me great joy would drive other people crazy, but assassinate seems like too strong a word.
Do you have habits that make you happy but would leave other people cold?
September 16, 2021
I want to be on time or early and I’m resentful of people who are late.
I also am concerned about my pets and any animal that needs help. Their safety comes first and I don’t want to know people who don’t care about animal welfare.
I believe in kindness and respect to everyone no matter their current “status”.
I can’t stand people who are disrespectful to wait staff and such.
I’m not sure if these are true habits but they are how I live.
But I’m sure there are people who wouldn’t agree but I truly don’t want to know them.
The main thing is to know what works for us.
Of course we all have habits that would annoy others..it’s called being human. Some habits on the other hand are fetishes.
It’s not so much about annoying others, it’s about habits that are good for us but wouldn’t be good for others to have.
Oh, I completely understood…kinda like a old man I knew when I was a teenager. He took his false teeth out & used an air hose to clean ’em.
i agree that assinate may be too strong. As for mine, let’s see…shopping, for sure.
😀
I have to agree that assassinate is a bit strong here. I have habits that might bore other people to tears
Me to, but I love them. 🙂
what an odd quote by Samuel Clemens. he had such a persona though.
maybe he was speaking strictly as Mark Twain! I think he must have had a very large ego to say such a thing. and actually mean it! I don’t know.
I guess my habit is to ‘animate’ things in my own mind that aren’t alive. from everything like simple rocks or stones to trees and huge mountains. I’ve done it my whole life. knowing it’s weird! 😀 xo
Whatever works and doesn’t harm others is fantastic.
I think that is an odd quote from anyone….I would love to know just what habit he was talking about.
I have habits that would either bore someone to death, like Ann said, or drive them bananas…so maybe unhealthy in that way. But nothing I can think of farther than that.
It is a weird quote. 🙂
I think Twain/Clemens was given to strong words. He lived a passionate life.
He was born around Halley’s comet and wanted to die when it came back. He got his wish.
This has taken me a while to ponder. (LOVE stuff like that!) As ever, I enjoy reading the previous commentaries.
My short answer? Because my diet is comprised of 98% meat, people have been tsk-tsking for years. I still regret having quit smoking 8 years ago. Those things brought me great joy. Like my father, I value Quality more so than quantity.
Who knows? In another few years I may buy myself a pack of cigarettes and call it Happy Birthday.
Some bad habits may be worth the risks. We each have to decide for ourselves.
He may have been talkin about my husband breakfast that he eats everyday. Two eggs two sausage two toast and sometimes with potatoes every single day. Then again who knows what he was talking about and that quote. He may have been just full of himself
See The Misadventures of Widowhood’s comment below for a link to his full speech. There’s a tradeoff between healthy habits and enjoyment sometimes.
My habit of spending hours sitting in front of my computer. It gives me joy but it is not healthful.
I spend a lot of time on the computer, but I stand on a jogging trampoline and move around a lot. It’s better than nothing. 🙂
I had to google the phrase to see how Twain used it because he was a wordsmith and didn’t use words like ‘assassinate’ carelessly. It was part of a speech he made on his 70th birthday and the entire thing can be found here: https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/mark-twain/birthday-speech/
Thank you for that! 🙂
My vegetarianism leaves some people cold. They seem to think that if you don’t eat meat, there’s nothing else to eat except lettuce and carrots.
I’m surprised they don’t understand more about it. A lot of people are vegetarians now.
Some of my habits would likely bore many people but, as you say, they work for me, aren’t harmful to others, so that’s fine.
Yes, we get to choose, thank goodness. 🙂