The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the witty yet profound words of Herb Caen: “The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on forever.” Though spoken in jest, this utterance is not without depth. Cloaked in humor is a meditation on immortality, that dream which mankind has long pursued. Men yearn for endless life, yet seldom pause to ask what such a gift would truly mean. Caen, with the sharp tongue of irony, reminds us that even eternity, if stripped of meaning, may become a burden rather than a blessing.

The origin of this saying lies in Caen’s craft as a journalist and observer of human life. He had the eye of one who could see both the grandeur and the absurdity of existence. His jest about immortality is a mirror, reflecting mankind’s eternal struggle with time—we fear its brevity, yet we also dread its endlessness. His humor cuts to the heart of the paradox: that without death, life may lose its sweetness, for it is the very finitude of existence that sharpens the edge of every joy.

Consider the tale of the Greek myth of Tithonus. Granted immortality by the gods, he forgot to ask also for eternal youth. Thus he lived on, his body withering, his strength decaying, until he became a husk, cursed to endure endless time without the vigor to enjoy it. His story is a warning that eternity, without balance, may become torment. Caen’s quip echoes this ancient truth: what seems a gift may become a burden if it stretches beyond the limits of purpose.

And yet, there is wisdom also in the reflection that forever is not what man needs. It is not endless days that bring fulfillment, but meaningful ones. Look to Florence Nightingale, whose years were few compared to the eternity she might have wished for, yet whose actions within her span transformed medicine and saved countless lives. Her legacy, though bound by death, became a kind of immortality—not of endless existence, but of enduring impact.

Thus, the saying teaches us that the pursuit of immortality should not be for the prolonging of breath alone. Rather, it should be sought in deeds that echo across generations. For the soul that creates, that loves, that sacrifices for others, achieves a form of eternity far nobler than the endless ticking of time. Death may silence the body, but truth and goodness engrave themselves upon the eternal memory of humankind.

The lesson is clear: do not waste your life yearning for endless years. Instead, pour your strength into filling your mortal span with acts that endure. Let each day be lived so richly that even if it were your last, it would be complete. Seek not the eternity of breath, but the eternity of meaning. For in this way, you will discover that immortality is not about going on forever, but about living in such a way that you are never forgotten.

Practical actions stand before you: write the book you have delayed, speak the kindness you have withheld, begin the work that lifts others from despair. Do not postpone greatness for another age, for you are mortal, and the sands fall swiftly. Yet in living with purpose, you carve your mark into eternity. Live so that when you are gone, your memory, your example, your light, shall continue to shine.

So let Caen’s jest be heard not only as humor, but as wisdom: “The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on forever.” Let it remind you that endlessness without purpose is emptiness, and that the truest immortality is not found in living forever, but in living well. For when your days are spent in courage, truth, and love, then eternity is already yours.