Did you wonder what Mark Twain meant by this quote?
You can’t reach old age by another man’s road, my habits protect my life but they would assassinate you.
—Mark Twain
Jean at The Misadventures of Widowhood found the answer:
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/
(Click here for the link.) Twain was talking about habits that are deemed unhealthful, like smoking and not getting exercise. He wasn’t about to give them up. He also says other people shouldn’t give up their habits either:
And I wish to urge upon you this—which I think is wisdom—that if you find you can’t make seventy by any but an uncomfortable road, don’t you go.
Thanks, Jean!
September 21, 2021
interesting! I had also thought he meant that everyone is different, and what is good for one person, is not for another.
🙂
browsed the link and methinks “each to your own” – “changing it as you deem necessary” . And then me thinking, probably not going to be 100% your own choice…
I think he’s also saying if you have bad habits you love own them, don’t worry if they shorten your life. He doesn’t address the fact that we sometimes have health problems that we haven’t caused.
Sounds like it pretty much boils down to live life on your own terms.
Yes. We get to decide for ourselves.
this is further proof that just about anything can be taken out of context and we can make it what we think… that happens alot on the news, find a quote, snip it out and without the rest of the story it can be made to fit anything. the rest of this story was his turning 70… my hubby lives his life this way. he eats 2 eggs, 2 sausage, 2 toasts every day of his life and said if he can’t be happy with what he eats, he doesn’t care about adding a few more years of misery to his life. great post and makes us all THINK
Thanks. 🙂
Interesting to read all the other comments…
Yes. 🙂
You’re welcome. I love googling phrases like that for deeper understanding. I wish I had more good habits like exercising and eating better to even consider giving up. LOL
😀
I read his entire birthday speech the day she left the link on your post.
he was a true Character! we’ve all read Mark Twain usually… but I hadn’t read much of what he said or believed in real life. I really enjoyed it!
thank you to both You and Jean. XO
Thanks. 🙂
Mr. Twain’s stock just went up in my mind! Quality of life, not quantity.
Amen to that.