The adult brain expends at least as much energy on inhibition as on action, some studies suggest, and mental health relies on abiding strategies to ignore or suppress deeply disturbing thoughts — of one’s own inevitable death, for example.
How on earth did those studies (to which the usually helpful Times did not provide a link) figure that out? Are inhibition and action brain waves different? Or do they get people to record what they did all day, and then sort their activities into categories? My bored drawer and Terry’s lists are clearly in the inhibition category, as is my friend who refuses to travel, but what about my other friend who exercises three hours a day? And what is it with my friends anyway? Do I only like people who are scared of dying?
But I really don’t get this. It seems to me that the only people who are not inhibiting their death thoughts are the ones who are actively dying.
Celebrating Time 
all the coolest people are afraid of dying – it’s a natural aristocracy 😉