So over the past few years the thought of legacy has haunted my mind. I figure you can leave back a biological reminder in the form of a child, you can live on in the memories of folks you've interacted with in life, be a figure that carries on in lore and storytelling, or you can leave back a thing, a piece of pop culture, a record, a painting, a building, the world's you're imagination. But whichever way you go you leave some sort of legacy behind, or maybe several legacies pieced together from different parts of life.
But then I got to thinking about olden days, the days before Mayberry turned to color, when cities were towns and you interacted with the same 200 people you're entire life. Everyone knew you're life, they knew your parents, and because of that you always had a sort of legacy to live up to. Whether you felt like you had to prove something, or rebel, or be the best, whatever, there was always a figure that you would forever be compared to. But since it was smalltime back then were people more apt to walk the straight and narrow because all your flaws would be shone out with the light of day? There's a certain anonimity to life now. You can move away and dissapear into a city, create your own life and world, find a new soundtrack for this chapter, and then head home periodicly to trade stories. So does that make us more able and more willing to try and expand...
10 comments:
"Can you still have any famous last words when you're somebody nobody knows?"
~Ryan Adams
Your legacy can be found @ Google.com.
Searchword: [Your Name]
I think everyone has a legacy by default. It floats in the hearts and minds of the people who encounter you. Your legacy is almost completely dynamic in the aspect that it's different for different people, and it also changes over time with each individual.
How will Pete Rose be remembered? Hero? Disgrace? Good player? Great player? When I was younger I thought he was a good player, but a total disgrace. Now that I'm older I think he's a great player who was pretty awesome. He's a treasure of my memory, I think thinking about him.
Is "Legacy" something you define for others or is it something others use to define who you are/were?
I like thinking about this. Sometimes I think the only purpose of life is to have a kid, to leave some sort of genetic reminder hanging around. I think a better, greater legacy though is to be an educator (not necessarily a teacher) who can leave a whole mess of people better off than they started, whether it's by teaching a class or singing a song or sculpting Jesus out of dog shit.
oh Brad, the Romantic, don't you worry my friend, you've met us all and left a remarkable impression.
I love Brad, and I love that his legacy includes "Professional Wrestling" and playing live with The Family Swaggards. Quite a diamond in the rough.
"Let's get back to the business of breaking my heart"
ha! nice one lucas!
if Obama loses, I'll officially make America's theme song, "let's get back to the business..."
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