Mid-life revolt -- Rituals of humiliation -- The veneer of science -- Crushing the body -- The madness of mindfulness -- Death in social context -- The war between conflict harmony -- Crushing the body -- Tiny minds -- "Successful" aging -- The invention of the self -- Killing the self and rejoicing in a living world.

Ehrenreich's core philosophy holds that aging people have the right to determine their quality of life and may choose to forgo painful and generally ineffective treatments. She presents evidence that such tests as annual physicals and Pap smears have little effect in prolonging life; investigates wellness trends, including mindfulness meditation; and questions the doctrine of a harmonious "mindbody" and its supposed natural tendency to prolong life. Mostly, she urges that we recognize that death is natural, that we enjoy our lives while we can, and that we disabuse ourselves of any self-serving notions of post-mortem permanence or even influence.