Just a thought that crossed my mind today.
If I was to ask everyone that you’ve ever interacted with (IRL) what their general opinion of you is, what do you hope the most common answer would be?
Would you hope they consider you a successful person, physically attractive, smart, the best in your field, etc?
Personally, my answer is “A good, kind person. Friendly and helpful.”
Just wondering what the rest of feel.
EDIT: Based on the first few responses, I’m thinking I should have clarified better.
I’m not talking about your legacy after you’re dead, I just mean right here, right now. You have left an impression on people. That is inevitable. Surely there aren’t that many people that don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks, but I must admit, it is a valid answer. Maybe you are the person who doesn’t give a fuck what anyone thinks. 🤷🏻♂️
I have no need to be remembered by anyone. Memories and legacies are fake human constructs that we’ve made up. We live approx 60ish years and then die. Only kids and or some relatives/spouses will remember you for another few decades before they die too and you’re completely forgotten.
To hang onto the idea that you must leave a legacy behind and be remembered by other people just adds unnecessary stress to one’s life. Not a single person cares about anyone except for themselves (save for some people who may care in some manner about their significant others, kids, maybe a best friend).
I refuse your opinion. There might be a time, a place, a random conversation where I’m remembered. I want people to take my name in a good way, not like Hitler.
It’s not illegal to care about others, you will get something back in life if you help others. Build favours.
To be honest, your comment seems like a huge cry for help.
That’s okay it’s not your opinion so you’re allowed to refuse it. I don’t understand what you mean when you say it seems like a huge cry for help. Could you elaborate?
My guess is that it sounds depressing.
I suppose under a certain lens realism can be viewed as depressing. But when you remember we are all stardust, born from explosions, a rare occurrence in and of itself that resulted in our lives, one doesn’t need remembrance to feel special about themselves. That becomes somewhat trivial in the grand scheme of the universe.
In fact it almost seems like a cry for help to want to be remembered, like as if you are so fearful of death that you’d waste the time you were given making others think you’re somehow better than the rest, when the truth is we are all more alike than we are different.
Anywho, that’s just my perspective on things, cheers
Ya the way you described it is how I feel. The human need for being remembered suggests eternal permanence, which is not compatible with the way we understand physics and how the universe works. Nothing is permanent.