Last Saturday, Henry Kissinger celebrated his 100th birthday. In honor of this milestone, his son, David Kissinger, took to the Washington Post to tout his dad’s “rare brain” and “unflagging energy,” offering a tongue-in-cheek “guide to longevity.” We learn about key lifestyle factors for the statesman, which include “a diet heavy on bratwurst and Wiener schnitzel,” and watching sports. As his proud son notes, Kissinger outlived “most of his peers, eminent detractors and students.”
One of those unfortunately deceased eminent detractors, Anthony Bourdain, once wrote that “[o]nce you’ve been to Cambodia, you’ll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands,” in his 2001 book, A Cook’s Tour. And, in fact, it's been a meme for years that the controversial diplomat's lifespan is proof that only the good die young. (A new investigation by The Intercept revealed that America’s secret bombing campaign in Cambodia, architected by Kissinger, may have killed up to 150,000 civilians, a figure much higher than previously estimated.)
From another perspective, Kissinger's 100th birthday just shows that we don't have a full picture of why some people live longer than others. Money, genetics, and friends all help. (You can almost hear Bryan Johnson cursing from his hyperbaric chamber.)
