Our startup team has adopted this practice of starting meetings with a moment to remember mortality, thinking it would help us focus on what matters, but it's become performative and some people are uncomfortable and I don't know how to course-correct without admitting the whole thing was misguided. One person told me privately they feel like we're being morbid for the sake of productivity and I'm starting to think they're right.
More people experience this than they realize.
A shared ritual meant to invoke wisdom has become hollow theater that some find alienating.
“Where Are You with Stoic memento mori — remember you will die?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.