I did ask this question to my friends many years back, which do you fear more, dying young or dying old?
If you're one of those that's not afraid of dying then just modify the question to which is more preferable to you, a long life or short life?
Bruce Lee was one of those talented people who died at the ripe young age of 32. A few other Hong Kong superstars during my time also died young. There was Anita Mui, 40, Danny Chan, 35, and Leslie Cheung, 47.
Yeah I listened to Canto pop when I was younger, thanks to my then girlfriend who hailed from Kowloon Tong.
All these stars died at the peak of their careers just when they had everything going for them. Well everyone has their problems, even they but I can't think of anyone who wouldn't trade the world to have these superstars' problems. I mean having all that money coming out of your ears. How much of a problem can that be?
Anyway when I lived in Singapore I hung out with a few friends from the showbiz industry. They weren't famous people or anything but they had plans and dreams nonetheless. There was a couple of upstart theater actors, a couple of budding singers and a band member. Among the things I remember was this one particular conversation we had at a bar late one night. I don't remember why but somehow the topic of longevity crept into our conversation. We started talking about lifespans - what we thought would be our own.
What struck me the most was how no one at the table wanted to live past 40.
It was as if there was a pact. Each would prefer to die at the peak of their career when they've got the most adoring fans, the most money, lived the happiest moments. That's when the lights can go out, they all agreed.
We were all laughing in between drinks then so I took it as a joke, right up to the death of Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung which brought me back to that night at the bar.
Now this biographical movie about Bruce Lee is doing the same thing.
I think generally, people prefer to go when they're feeling good about themselves, not when they're struggling with arthritis or a bad back or when they're pottering around with a walking stick. I learned about the traditional Chinese-Buddhist attitude about future lives, how if you end this life well, the next life will start well and if you end this life horribly, the next life will start horribly. A continuation of chapters if you will in a story that spans many lifetimes. Might that also lead people to this wish to "check out" at the peak of their lives?
But my friends were anything but traditional and I don't know if that's what prompted them to think that way but I did notice one thing. It was a common attitude among entertainers or at least, in people where beauty and youth appeal are important to self worth. Maybe people do believe there's nothing's sadder than a sad old queen. Its the ultimate entertainers' nightmare so its best to spare yourselves the misery and check out before you get to that stage.
By that yardstick, Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung and Bruce Lee died "perfect" deaths. They left at the height of their fame and left a legacy that is hard to beat even now.
And what about me? When would I like to die if I could somehow influence my natural lifespan?
At 50 going on 51, I would've already missed the boat on dying at my peak but then, it would depend on how I define peak wouldn't it?
I have no answer to that... yet. There are still things I want to achieve, not materially but spiritually. As skills go, I'm barely past beginner going by Anita Mui or Bruce Lee's standards. I don't know how long it'll take but if I can make that journey interesting enough, I know that chronological age wouldn't matter. That's the key I think... to make it interesting. As interesting as going on stage in front of a million adoring fans. :D
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