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by greenbay20 2328 days ago
If you die instantaneously, your death-bed regret is 0, right?
2 comments

Yes, but I optimize death-bed regret at this point, when I am alive. Let's say I regret how I behaved to a certain person in the past. When I wholeheartedly apologize and truly regret it, I see the death-bed regret be lower for all days afterwards.

It's like via-negativa for hapinnes [1]: being more happy by removing things that makes me unhappy.

[1] Nassim Taleb - Antifragile

Even if you don't, it will probably not exist. Say, god forbid, you get diagnosed with cancer. Your energy will likely be spent on fighting it, or if terminal, likely in enjoying the last days of your life without pain or finding meaning. Personally, I wouldn't dwell on the things I should have don't but didn't. That would be a waste of precious life.