--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've spent the last few millennia aware…" description: "\"We've spent the last few millennia aware that senescence is horrible but knowing nevertheless that it's inevitable. We've had to find some mechanism to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/aubrey-de-grey-17616_aware_we-ve-spent-the-last-few-millennia-aware_1088586.jpg" --- # We've spent the last few millennia aware that senescence… ![“We've spent the last few millennia aware that senescence is horrible but knowing nevertheless that it's inevitable. We've had to find some mechanism to put it out of our minds so we can get on with our miserably short lives.” quote by Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/aubrey-de-grey-17616_aware_we-ve-spent-the-last-few-millennia-aware_1088586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/aubrey-de-grey-17616_aware_we-ve-spent-the-last-few-millennia-aware_1088586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/aubrey-de-grey-17616_aware_we-ve-spent-the-last-few-millennia-aware_1088586.jpg) > “We've spent the last few millennia aware that senescence is horrible but knowing nevertheless that it's inevitable. We've had to find some mechanism to put it out of our minds so we can get on with our miserably short lives.” [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity must accept aging as inevitable while seeking ways to mentally distance from it to live fully. **In simple terms:** Accept aging, but keep living fully. Key Takeaway Cultivate mental resilience toward mortality. Themes mortality psychology longevity Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - healthcare planning - daily mindfulness - long‑term goal setting Key Concepts existentialism coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help us acknowledge aging without despair? - How can we turn acceptance into positive action? A Different Perspective It may encourage denial rather than proactive health measures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [There is still a wildness inside people that we've spent millennia trying to tame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-frost/there-is-still-a-wildness-inside-people-that-we-ve-spent-millennia/) [Mark Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-frost/) > [“Age doesn't mean Maturity but Senescence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-asumadu-sarkodie/age-doesn-t-mean-maturity-but-senescence/) [Samuel Asumadu-Sarkodie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-asumadu-sarkodie/) > [The evolutionary theory of senescence can be stated as follows: while bodies are not designed to fail, neither are they designed for extended operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/the-evolutionary-theory-of-senescence-can-be-stated-as-follows-while/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) > [As we grow older, the memories of early life brighten, those of maturity and senescence grow dim and confused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/as-we-grow-older-the-memories-of-early-life-brighten-those-of/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Middle age ends and senescence begins, the day your descendant's outnumber your friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/middle-age-ends-and-senescence-begins-the-day-your-descendant-s/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Middle age ends and senescence begins, The day your descendants outnumber your friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/middle-age-ends-and-senescence-begins-the-day-your-descendants/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I'd proven to the world that maturity, experience, dedication, and ingenuity can make up for a little senescence. Muscle tightening is not the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-torres/i-d-proven-to-the-world-that-maturity-experience-dedication-and/) [Dara Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-torres/) > [“Senescence begins And middle-age ends The day your descendants Outnumber your friends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/senescence-begins-and-middle-age-ends-the-day-your-descendants/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Senescence is an inevitability. All we can do is try to strike the balance between graceful acceptance and raging against the dying light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-nemko/senescence-is-an-inevitability-all-we-can-do-is-try-to-strike-the/) [Marty Nemko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-nemko/) > [The general rule is that anything that is passed on in reproduction does not undergo senescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-williams/the-general-rule-is-that-anything-that-is-passed-on-in-reproduction/) [George C. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-williams/) > [Well documented, the relationship of literature to myth in the Western world has undergone much change over the millennia, as first the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bernheimer/well-documented-the-relationship-of-literature-to-myth-in-the-western/) [Kate Bernheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bernheimer/) > [A university is not about results in the next quarter; it is not even about who a student has become by graduation. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/a-university-is-not-about-results-in-the-next-quarter-it-is-not-even/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [“As has also been demonstrated thoroughly, one of the principal objects of worship over the millennia has been the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-murdock/as-has-also-been-demonstrated-thoroughly-one-of-the-principal-objects/) [D.M. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-m-murdock/) > [The decline of violence is a fractal phenomenon. You can see it over millennia, over centuries, over decades and over years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-decline-of-violence-is-a-fractal-phenomenon-you-can-see-it-over/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## More by Aubrey de Grey > [Ageing is, simply and clearly, the accumulation of damage in the body. That's all that ageing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/ageing-is-simply-and-clearly-the-accumulation-of-damage-in-the-body/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [I'm the chief science officer of a foundation that works on the application of regenerative medicine to the problem of aging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/i-m-the-chief-science-officer-of-a-foundation-that-works-on-the/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [I think it's reasonable to suppose that one could oscillate between being biologically 20 and biologically 25 indefinitely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/i-think-it-s-reasonable-to-suppose-that-one-could-oscillate-between/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [If changing our world is playing God, it is just one more way in which God made us in His image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/if-changing-our-world-is-playing-god-it-is-just-one-more-way-in-which/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Celebrating the future is about celebrating a better world: a world in which everyone's life is easier and their health is maintained longer. It’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/celebrating-the-future-is-about-celebrating-a-better-world-a-world-in/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Basically, the body does have a vast amount of inbuilt anti-ageing machinery; it's just not 100% comprehensive, so it allows a small number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/basically-the-body-does-have-a-vast-amount-of-inbuilt-anti-ageing/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [In the eye, there is a type of junk that accumulates in the back of the retina that eventually causes us to go blind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/in-the-eye-there-is-a-type-of-junk-that-accumulates-in-the-back-of/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [The aim is to postpone frailty, postpone degenerative disease, debilitation and so on and thereby shorten the period at the end of life, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/the-aim-is-to-postpone-frailty-postpone-degenerative-disease/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [What I actually wanted to do with my life is make a difference to the world. That led me into science very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/what-i-actually-wanted-to-do-with-my-life-is-make-a-difference-to-the/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [What I'm after is not living to 1,000. I'm after letting people avoid death for as long as they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/what-i-m-after-is-not-living-to-1-000-i-m-after-letting-people-avoid/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Wikipedia was a big help for science, especially science communication, and it shows no sign of diminishing in importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/wikipedia-was-a-big-help-for-science-especially-science-communication/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [There's nothing wrong with making the best of one's declining years, but what does annoy me is the fatalism. Now that we're seriously in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-making-the-best-of-one-s-declining-years/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Most scientists will get serious media exposure about twice in their entire career. And they'll get that because they've actually done an experiment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/most-scientists-will-get-serious-media-exposure-about-twice-in-their/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [The only difference between my work and the work of the whole medical profession is that I think we're in striking distance of keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/the-only-difference-between-my-work-and-the-work-of-the-whole-medical/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [There is no difference between saving lives and extending lives, because in both cases we are giving people the chance of more life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/there-is-no-difference-between-saving-lives-and-extending-lives/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) [Explore all 36 Aubrey de Grey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) ## More Aware quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I'm trying to be very aware of not repeating myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-waltz/i-m-trying-to-be-very-aware-of-not-repeating-myself/) [Christoph Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-waltz/) > [If I've had roadblocks along the way for being gay, I'm not aware of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/if-i-ve-had-roadblocks-along-the-way-for-being-gay-i-m-not-aware-of/) [Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/) > [“Whenever you're around her she's calm. She's more aware. It's like you carry a frequency she can tune into.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-laurens/whenever-you-re-around-her-she-s-calm-she-s-more-aware-it-s-like-you/) [Jennifer Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-laurens/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [Museums, I think, are becoming more and more aware of how to turn themselves into a must-see spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-barton/museums-i-think-are-becoming-more-and-more-aware-of-how-to-turn/) [Jake Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-barton/) > [“The more you become aware of and respond to the needs of others, the richer your own life becomes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-marti/the-more-you-become-aware-of-and-respond-to-the-needs-of-others-the/) [Mollie Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-marti/) Browse all 1,138 Aware quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We've spent the last few millennia aware that senescence is horrible but knowing nevertheless that it's inevitable. 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