Momento Mori

From Wright Thompson's most recent article on Michael Jordan (paraphrasing)

Before the release of Space Jam, Warner Brothers commissioned research to see how famous Michael Jordan was.

The research determined that these were the most famous people in the world at that point in time:

Princess Diana

Michael Jordan

Pope John Paul the Second

When the news of Princess Diana's unfortunate death became public, Jordan's manager, turned to him and said "now you're the most famous person in the world."

Today, Princess Diana and Pope John Paul are no longer here. And Michael Jordan has been out of the spotlight for decades.

Stoicism has a story around this:

Back in the day, whenever a Roman General came back victorious, a slave followed them and whispered in their ears 'momento mori'. It translates to 'remember you must die. The whole idea of this exercise, I assume, is to keep someone grounded at the height of their fame. It's also a reminder of the transiency of things. Whether you want to invade a nation to show your manliness or control narratives by owning the world's most powerful social network, there's a limit to the imprint you can leave.

It's an important reminder we all need often.