"In news that will delight my enemies, I believe there's a chance I'll die young and by accidental means. To clarify, I'm currently in excellent health (sorry to my enemies), but I'm sensing a spectacular midlife crisis on the horizon that could spell the end. Maybe it'll be an overdose in a seedy nightclub. Maybe I'll drink myself into oblivion. Maybe I'll get kicked in the head during an orgy."
"I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I've never been drunk. (I drink, but never enough that I've ever vomited, passed out, or needed a designated driver.) I don't have tattoos. I don't like jaywalking and when I do try it, I feel nervous about it. In other words, I'm boring, and often fear the worst. If being cool means having an air of nonchalance, I am firmly chalant."
An individual anticipates a possible early accidental death caused by a dramatic midlife crisis as compensation for lifelong risk aversion. The individual practices extreme caution: no smoking, no drugs, minimal drinking, no tattoos, and avoidance of jaywalking. Fear of physical danger shapes everyday choices and prompts envy toward risk-takers. A Cantonese idiom, jiu leng m jiu ming, frames prioritizing appearance over safety as a sacrifice of life and reinforces cultural emphasis on longevity. Vivid examples—high heels, biking without a helmet, long nails—illustrate the cultural judgment against fashionable but hazardous behavior.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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