'Midlife: A Philosophical Guide' at Gabi Cafe

Love big ideas? Interested in philosophy, whether you're a beginner or a longtime reader? This group is for people who want to dive into philosophical texts carefully and thoughtfully — not just to criticize or dismiss, but to really grapple with the ideas and see where they lead.

I'd like us to try our best to keep the discussion focused on themes, examples, and arguments from the text, without digressing or straying too much from the text.
Also, please be mindful of trying to include all attendees in the discussion.

Please be mindful this group is organized around and for people who have never read philosophy before (it's a meetup group after all), so please be respectful of that fact even if you have read a lot of philosophy before.

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Let's read:
Midlife: A Philosophical Guide
by Kieran Satiya

Philosophical wisdom and practical advice for overcoming the problems of middle age
"How can you reconcile yourself with the lives you will never lead, with possibilities foreclosed, and with nostalgia for lost youth? How can you accept the failings of the past, the sense of futility in the tasks that consume the present, and the prospect of death that blights the future? In this self-help book with a difference, Kieran Setiya confronts the inevitable challenges of adulthood and middle age, showing how philosophy can help you thrive.

You will learn why missing out might be a good thing, how options are overrated, and when you should be glad you made a mistake. You will be introduced to philosophical consolations for mortality. And you will learn what it would mean to live in the present, how it could solve your midlife crisis, and why meditation helps.

Ranging from Aristotle, Schopenhauer, and John Stuart Mill to Virginia Woolf and Simone de Beauvoir, as well as drawing on Setiya’s own experience, Midlife combines imaginative ideas, surprising insights, and practical advice. Writing with wisdom and wit, Setiya makes a wry but passionate case for philosophy as a guide to life."

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A few requests:

Unless you've read the book, I kindly request you that you do not attend and wait for an event where you have had the time to read the book.
If you're bringing guests, I also request that you please be sure they've read the book.

This is a book club, so I am hoping its not too much to ask.