Why men don't celebrate birthdays?

PLUS: Biggest Robbery ever, Character of Physical law, Psychotherapy Myth and many more...

Aug 05, 2023

gm 👋 Prado here

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Essay of the week - Why men don't celebrate birthdays?

Me and a friend of mine were in a middle of a conversation and she asked me the question - “When is your birthday?”

Now, I remember that I’ve already told her my birth date before. So she’s not asking me to know what my age is or what’s my sign. She’s asking to wish me or buy me a gift for birthday.

But when she said me the question “When is my birthday” I thought why does it matter. I don’t celebrate birthdays anyway. What am I a 6 year old kid?

One of my recently found philosophy is that I don’t celebrate Birth, I celebrate Death.

In my life, I’ve had 3 near death experiences and I realised that I’m more closer to death than birth.

All this sounds great when you are having a conversation with a girl for the first time but people don’t like talking much about death. It’s a taboo topic.

But that question though - Why don’t men celebrate birthdays? (P.S: Why most men don’t?)

One thing about birthdays is that a man must go through a mandatory reality check every year.

Most men are dreamers. They dream about their life and project how will it look 1, 5, 10 years down the lane.

Every birthday comes with the reality check. Questions like “Did I achieve the goals I had set out to achieve years ago?”

Goals like:

I want to travel the world.
I want to marry by x age.
I want to be financially free.
I want to be a father.
I want to build a business. etc etc.

“There are few things that’s more difficult for a man than admitting their own failures”

Failing to meet those expectations can be an extremely painful mental experience. Men would rather avoid the whole thing.

Few others thoughts:

Not all men are like that. Some write threads like “I’m 25 this year and here are 25 lessons I learned” or Celebrating with a small group of friends watching sports and drinking beer.
The world is a better place with people like Garv. He sent me this invitation for his birthday this year. Cutie.
This actually inspired me that I should not neglect my birthdays but embrace them.
One more thing I realised about men is that Men are low maintenance.
I’ve been friends with bunch of folks where we’ve known each other for years but not know or remember the DOB.
Another hypothesis: Men are bad at remembering dates lol. This can also be a thing because men don’t wish each other enough.
Receiving a birthday wish may lead to more questions.
- How old are you now?
- When are you getting married?
*uncles and aunties get even weird and be like you’ll marry in 2 years.
- What plans for the future.
Men often compare each other based on age and things they’ve achieved. I strongly advice against it.
“ Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt.

Everyone has a different definition of celebrating their birthdays.

I’m open to change my perspective that I don’t celebrate birthdays, I celebrate death.

My definition of the celebrations may not be throwing lavish parties where I invite people I like and don’t like.

I’d rather spend my reality check with my parents or even go to Singapore and spend my birthday with Xia (A great friend of mine) or doing a Living Funeral with closest friends and family.

I believe every man must celebrate their birthdays. Embrace the reality check and accept the facts. Make new goals. Write down your feelings. Lie about your age if you want. Do anything you want, celebrate any way you want as along as you are happy.

Fall in love with the idea that everything we’ve achieved so far is enough.

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10 things from InterestingRoad.com 🙌

1. The Psychotherapy Myth (Blog)

2. Something from my Twitter👇

Tweet link

3. Biggest Robbery ever was by Saddam Hussein’s son. He took almost a $1bn from Iraq’s central bank saying that his dad sent him here. Load the money in truck and ran away. About $350M is yet to being figured out (Blog)

4. Check out Richard Feynman’s lecture of the Character of Physical Law: 6 part series on Feynman teaching physics to non-physics folks (Blog)

5. Interesting Human of the week:- A powerful painting on Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan

Arts / Education / History

Arts / Education / History on Instagram: ”“Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan” is a powerful and haunting painting that was created by the renowned Russian artist Ilya Repin. Completed in 1885, the artwork has become an iconic representation of the complexities of human emotion and the tragic events that can unfold in history. The painting depicts a heart-wrenching scene from Russian history during the reign of Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible. The Tsar is shown cradling his mortally wounded son, Ivan Ivanovich, whom he had accidentally struck with a fatal blow during a fit of rage. The scene captures a pivotal moment in the life of the infamous Tsar, revealing the deep sorrow and remorse that engulfed him after realizing the consequences of his actions. Ivan the Terrible was one of the most controversial rulers in Russian history, known for his erratic behavior, tyrannical rule, and violent outbursts. Despite his successful military campaigns and efforts to consolidate power, his personal life was marked by tragedy and loss. His first wife died under mysterious circumstances, and his second wife was brutally murdered during an argument. These events took a significant toll on Ivan’s mental and emotional well-being. The incident depicted in the painting occurred in 1581 when Ivan the Terrible was engaged in a heated argument with his son, Ivan Ivanovich, over a disagreement. Fueled by anger and frustration, Ivan struck his son with a heavy staff, causing severe injuries. Realizing the gravity of what he had done, Ivan was consumed by grief and regret, leading to an internal struggle that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Ilya Repin, a prominent Russian realist painter, masterfully captured the emotional intensity of this historical moment in his artwork. His exceptional skill in portraying realistic human expressions and conveying profound emotions is evident in the painting. The contrast between Ivan the Terrible’s anguished face and his son’s lifeless body creates a poignant and emotionally charged scene that resonates deeply with viewers. Repin’s choice to depict this particular moment in history serves as a reminder of the frailty of human nature and the consequences of unchecke”

August 2, 2023

6. Question of the week:- Who in your professional universe has had a life story so great that one day they should get a biopic?

S/O to neil for sharing this question.

7. Picture of the week:-

8. Current read: Starting re-reading Project Hail Mary out of nowhere. This book has been my safe space for the past couple of years.

9. Meme of the week:-

10. Quotes of the week:

"I wake up each day with the firm conviction that I am nowhere near my full potential. 'Greatness' is a verb." - Tim Ferriss
(Tweet this quote)
"Gods made wine to compensate those who cannot afford revenge" - Foundation S2 E1
(Tweet this quote)
"Follow your own excitement, not the audience's" - Rick Rubin
(Tweet this quote)

Newsletter of the week: Morning Brew

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Check out my previous newsletters:

Diderot Effect (Read)
Life’s Lines of Closeness (Read)
How far did Elon Musk go to fulfil his curiosity? An untold story (Exclusive)
Cathedral Thinkers (Read)

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