Mini Project #5 - Adam Crystal

I think that some of the factors that contribute to so many people desperately wanting to leave a "legacy" once their no longer with us is the fact that we are a very throw-away type of culture. In that, I mean that we're always looking to the next bigger, better, more beautiful, more talented, or whatever person in the future. When an actor does something great, or a singer records a great album, of a politician passes some great piece of legislation people give them their due and admiration for a little while but unless they do something to follow it up rather quickly these people are often forgotten. And if someone follows up something great with something perceived to be poor then that person can be seen as a "one-hit wonder" or not seen to have the talent they once were viewed s having. As a society, we are a very "what have you done for me lately" type. People often times forget about what someone has done in the past unless it is something truly amazing or extraordinary. As a society and culture we are always trying to find that next big thing. That is why I think people are always trying to do so much to leave a positive and "legendary" legacy behind. Today, people don't rest of their laurels. People like Bill Clinton, Reagan when he was alive, and many others are always trying to do as much as they can and get their names associated with so many things that people can look back and see all the wonderful and memorable things they have done. Very few individuals nowadays are famous for one particular thing they have done, as it is always a lot of different things that makes someone stick in our memories. This is the reason why I believe that people are always trying to leave behind their "legacy". I also think it has to do with simply trying to be remembered for something positive. Life is so short and so many people I think feel like they are just part of the background that I believe people would like to be remembered, if only by one person. They want to have the belief that they impacted somebody's life, for better (Mother Teresa) or worse (serial killers). As a society I think that this obsession with leaving a "legacy" comes back to the idea that we are supposed to be famous and known. No one wants to look and think of themselves as ordinary and having nothing to be remembered by. People want to believe their time on Earth has meant something and I think this is why leaving a "legacy" has gained such prominence in our society today. Part of this I think has to do with the fact that in the media they are always portraying idols and those that people always remember like Marilyn Monroe or Babe Ruth. There's always that story of someone coming from humble beginnings only to hit their break and make it big and now those people are remembered for all times. I think as a society we want that to be us. We want to be remembered because in that way we can be immortal and live for all times.