Mini Project #5 - Alissa Harris

Note: This was perhaps the hardest of the mini-projects for me, as it's hard to consider why most people want to leave behind a legacy, so I apologize if it seems weaker than a lot of the other things I've submitted.

--

I believe that there are a number of factors that contribute to people wanting to leave behind a legacy once they’ve “passed on”, some that come into play much more than others. One of the biggest motivations behind wanting to leave a legacy is pure selfishness – we want to be remembered as being an amazing person and for others to fawn over us after we’re dead; we don’t want to be forgotten by generations to come.

People – both “normal” citizens and celebrities - want to be “immortal”, for their memory to never be forgotten, and in the case of some celebrities, this can often come true (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean – we seem to only remember the good things they did while they were young, rather than their misdeeds or imperfections later on in life). The legacy can be for better or for worse (on one hand, you have Mother Teresa, who did a world of good for the less fortunate, but on the other hand, you have Hitler, who left behind a legacy of terror) and can vary from person to person.

I think the main reason that people want to leave a legacy is because they want to believe that they led a life that was worth living, that they didn’t waste their entire life toiling away for nothing – they want to be remembered, to remain immortal (figuratively) for generations to come. They want people to associate something with them, whether it be a catchphrase they used to say, a characteristic they once possessed, or perhaps a facial expression or some other sort of mannerism (for example, Elvis’ dance moves or Marilyn Monroe’s blonde bombshell look) that a made a person unique. They want some part of them to live on for future generations, something that people who did not even know the person will remember about them.

Not all people want to leave behind a legacy of doing something completely outlandish or be famous in death, most people just want to be remembered by family and friends and those they loved. I know that when I die, I’d want people to remember me, for the memory of me not to be forgotten even though I’m not physically with the people I love. I don’t personally care what it is I’m remembered for (although I hope it’s something good!), I’d just like to know that the people I love remember me for something, to know that I didn’t lead a pointless life. I don’t care if I’m not famous in the traditional sense (I know I’ll never star in a movie, record a hit album, or cure cancer) but I’d like to be remembered as being “famous” (leaving a legacy) within my own circle of friends or family.

What all of this says about society and us as a whole is that, in general, we’re self-absorbed. Though most people want to leave behind a legacy of doing something good or worthwhile, like saving children from burning buildings or curing world hunger, others just want to leave a legacy behind, not really caring what that legacy is. However, I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing: it’s normal, even for those of us who aren’t famous, to want to “live forever” and it seems like everyone I asked wanted to leave behind some sort of legacy or legend for future generations. People simply want to be remembered once they’re gone, it’s as simple as that. They want their life to have had meaning, to be worthwhile, and to inspire others once they’re gone.