Born Alone, Die Alone: What Does This Mean?

Alice Faber faber at HASKINS.YALE.EDU
Mon Oct 24 18:07:44 UTC 2011


On 10/24/11 1:09 PM, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
> I apologize for my cluelessness, but there is a quote by Steven Jobs that is getting some publicity and that makes no sense to me.  He said, "You're born alone, you're going to die alone."  What does this mean?  Many people die alone, but many do not, and it is not clear to me that anyone is born alone.  Some babies are given birth by mothers in secretive circumstances and the mother dies in childbirth, but this is unusual and the baby may quickly die when this happens.
>

I've always understood it to mean that, while others might be present
for both of these transitions, nobody actually accompanies you through
either one.


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Alice Faber                                    faber at haskins.yale.edu
Haskins Laboratories                           tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
New Haven, CT 06511 USA                        fax (203) 865-8963

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