Not Being Forgettable

One does not devote enough attention in their lives to the very daunting fact of living a certain kind of life, only to be completely forgotten.

People often lead static, structured lives, taking very few existential risks, with the hope of eventually breaking free from the chains superimposed by obligation. Yet this desire does not lead to memorable lives.

One can be remembered for reckless and morally bad things, but this too will be quickly forgotten. The only people who are truly remembered, with wide regard, are those who contributed something of importance to the human problem. Sadly, it is not easy to be credited with this virtue.

We tune out insignificant people who, in their small-minded way, bring ego to problems and seem to disrupt rather than contribute. They are not interested in the collective human problem, and generally only tend to their own problems. Forgettable people do it to themselves, so it is not the case that we cause them to be forgotten. One must only consider something that benefits the other, and suddenly they are memorable again.

I do not mean ‘memorable’ in the sense of fame, status, or power. One is memorable based on demonstrably good qualities, particularly in the ability to make life better around them. For it seems that people usually speak fondly of those who are honest, humble, and intelligent.

Therefore, I think that a major goal of life is to be remembered fondly, and for something particularly great.

One literally etches their existence into the constantly growing human story. More and more people are being born into a hyper-specialized, extremely competitive world. It’s not the case that we can simply be celebrities, politicians, and so on — this is absolutely meaningless. But to be remembered for a particularly great set of deeds, or one’s goodness of character, seems to be worthwhile. I hold Nietzsche in high esteem, for example, because he wrote brilliantly and never gave up on conveying his message. I also hold someone like Julian Assange in high esteem, given that his principles and desire to share the truth superseded the risk of him being persecuted as a traitor.

There are not many heroes, but we must remember that they serve as templates for building our own character. That’s why, my friends, we must be remembered for something truly worthwhile.

Thank you.