Partial Understanding

Why bother now so close to the end
Why learn anything new
Can it save my life?
Or slow down the inevitable?
There's nothing new that can do any of that
It might help pass the time I suppose
But I'm selfish
I see things in terms of what they might do for me
Not the more global us
It's difficult not to be selfish though
After all
Long before I could understand any new treatise
Or pass on any knowledge gained
I'm going to be dead
So what is the point of partial understanding
Before I go?