"I think about death a lot, like I think we all do. I don't think of suicide as an option, but as fun. It's an interesting idea that you can control how you go. It's this thing that's looming, and you can control it"

Ryan Gosling’s reflection on death suggests an ongoing preoccupation with mortality, an experience that many people share but rarely discuss openly. He acknowledges that thoughts of death are common, almost universal, but distinguishes his own outlook by emphasizing that he approaches suicide not with intent or despair, but with an element of intrigue. He frames suicide as a concept to ponder, not as a desire or a solution, highlighting the philosophical dimension of being able to determine one’s own ending.

The notion of regarding suicide as “fun” is likely not literal, but represents a fascination with the control it seemingly offers over an otherwise uncontrollable aspect of human life: death itself. In life, so much is left to chance or fate, particularly how and when we die. Gosling’s statement appears to recognize the allure of autonomy in a world defined by unpredictability. The fact that someone could theoretically “control how you go” can make the idea of mortality less overwhelming and more approachable as a subject of contemplation.

Moreover, by calling death “this thing that’s looming,” he conveys the constant presence of mortality in the human psyche. It is always out there, somewhere on the horizon, its inevitability casting a shadow over everyday life. Yet, introducing the possibility of control, however theoretical, injects a measure of agency into the scenario. Instead of being entirely at the mercy of life’s uncertainties, the idea of self-determination, even in death, can make the concept less intimidating and more intellectually stimulating.

Gosling’s words are not endorsing or romanticizing suicide, but instead exploring the psychological coping mechanisms people develop when grappling with existential subjects. His curiosity about mastering one’s fate underscores a profound human desire for control in the face of the unknown, weaving together vulnerability, autonomy, and an honest confrontation with life’s ultimate reality.