[ozim]

Sorry for your loss.

The thing I noticed is that I have my own life - my grandparents passed some stories to me as well as my parents and they are part of my life. I have photos from like 1900's passed to me as family heirloom.

But I came to realization that I am unable to understand even 15% of any other persons life. Even my SO life will be maybe tops 40% that I can grasp or share as we spend really a lot of time together.

Maybe that is me but I feel that we are really isolated and our communications with words is really limited. Even being together in the same moment - each person feels/reacts a bit different.

I paint it as tragic in a sense but it is also beautiful that we really are unique snowflakes in the end.

So in the end I don't feel like it is even important for me to make some kind of interview - important part is to remember that they were alive and their life was their own and only their own as I cannot touch it I cannot grasp it - hence all life being special and to be celebrated, because there is not going to be second one that is identical with its struggles and with its dreams.

[tcbawo]

It might mean a lot to your loved ones, especially a parent to take an interest in their life’s struggles and experiences. It might not make a difference in your life, but it might make one in their life. To many parents, children are their life’s work. I once heard someone remark that “when you look at your children, you are looking at your immortality”. I would look at an interview as a gift to them, not to myself.

[jmathai]

Interesting. I look at my children and the realization that I will likely die before them and miss out on a part of their life reminds me of my mortality.

[TedDoesntTalk]

I think you are giving yourself license to not try. And what you are missing is that there is tremendous value in trying, even if you think you’re ultimately unsuccessful (“the journey not the destination”).

If you resolve that you can’t understand another’s life, then you never will.

[chaostheory]

I feel that for this the reason, telepathy is what’s needed for any civilization to transcend level 1 on the Kardashev scale. Until we can communicate more information faster than words, humanity probably won’t transcend a type 1 civilization.

[orestarod]

It is due to unwillingness that humans do not share enough information, not due to communication capabilities.

[chaostheory]

There are many things for which our words aren’t enough to convey. Physical pain is one of them. There are more nuances than “dull”, “sharp”, and “throbbing”. This is one reason pain research is hard

There’s also raw speed. The speed of speech is one of the edges we have against most other species. Being able to communicate with raw thought would be even faster.

This goes beyond “unwillingness”

[omarhaneef]

The recording is not to understand them — whatever that might end up meaning — but to feel their presence when you miss them.

[loveudad]

I agree, I feel that I only scratched the surface unfortunately but even then I'm glad that I cleared some big misconceptions about him. Spending a few hours to ask direct questions could lead to a big progress from 15% to 20% or more. Plus, there are the voice and video.

[didizaja]

I know I may not be adding much by saying this, but damn, that is a beautiful way to look at things, and you articulated it perfectly.