That we will ultimately be forgotten forever after our death is a horrifying prospect. After all, you were always ready for your loved ones, you worked hard and accomplished, showed courage, gave love. For this you have received respect, attention, recognition and appreciation during your life. But if your great-grandchildren also die of old age, who will remember who you were and what you meant to the world? Yet you can say: ,I have moved a stone in a river on earth,.
The specter of oblivion
Without attention, appreciation and recognition, life is unbearable, so it’s fortunate that we are admired and complimented every now and then. By the teacher because we do our best at school, by our manager at the company, because we deliver quality in our work and are customer-oriented. Because we are a dutiful parent to our children. Because we won at cloverjacks or playing football. In short, because customers, patients, clients, parents, children, club members and neighbors can accept us and give us a pat on the back every now and then.
100 years after our death
But when, many years after our death, our (great) grandchildren have also died, there are only a few photos of us left for the great-great-grandchildren. They can then see what their ancestors looked like, because hopefully your name is next to that photo in the (digital) photo album. Then it is finally over and we are no more than just a name in a family tree and an image in a book or on a USB stick.
Forever immortal
Not a nice idea that we will ever go so anonymously into oblivion. Then many greats from the past will have had more luck, because many of the following celebrities will be discussed, watched or listened to for the next 1000 years.
Heroes from history
Important people from history are described in textbooks. Regardless of whether they are resistance heroes, former politicians or noble persons, they appear in the history books. Such as Jan van Schaffelaar, Nelson Mandela, resistance heroine Hannie Schaft, President Abraham Lincoln, Prime Minister Willem Drees. And attention will also be paid to Queen Juliana or Beatrix for a while.
Composers and visual artists
As a popular artist you can also be remembered for a long time. Even if your paintings are eventually consumed, digital images of the masterpieces of Rembrandt, Vermeer and Breitner will remain. But the photos of Ed van der Elsken and Sem Presser will not soon be forgotten.
In the coming thousands of years, humanity will undoubtedly continue to enjoy composers such as JS Bach, WA Mozart, L. van Beethoven, F. Schubert, or more modern: George Gershwin, Burt Bacharach, Lloyd Webber and Cole Porter, etc. But the performing artists , like Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Beatles, etc. will remain digitally archived for some time to come.
Masters of technology
Important inventors, designers, architects and industrialists can continue to be admired for a long time, including:
- inventor of the light bulb TA Edison,
- inventor of the lightning rod Benjamin Franklin,
- industrialist A. Philips,
- Automaker Henry Ford,
- architect HP Berlage.
Comedians
Tastes of humor can change more quickly. Although Willy Walden and Piet Muyselaar are still appreciated by the older public with their creation of the ,ladies, Snip & Snap, it is feared that they will not last another 100 years. They will nevertheless have lived on for a considerable time after their death and, moreover, they will be stored in the historical channels. Toon Hermans, Freek de Jong and Jasperina De Jong will probably have a similar fate.
The primary school teacher
The easiest way to be remembered by many people for a long time is to become a teacher. Because you will never forget the teacher or teacher from your school for the rest of your life.
Tips for everyone to live longer
What can you think of to live on for some time after your death, if you feel the need for it:
- Make sure you achieve something in the sporting field so that you are mentioned in the regional press. Such a newspaper article with a photo, showing you with a medal or cup, will be kept in a scrapbook for a while, stored digitally and passed on to posterity.
- As a local leading member of a political (municipality) party, you can also make your mark and get into the press without too much effort.
- You can become president of an association and create some buzz and excitement.
- Maybe you have a talent for painting and you create beautiful works of art that you sign clearly. Always nice for a descendant in the year 2350 to have something from his ancestors hanging on the wall. Who knows how much money it is worth.
In short, more possibilities than you think, because there is much more you can think of to remain in the spotlight for a while after your death.
A stone moved in a river on earth
Even if you have been forgotten, you have still made a lot of difference in this world during your life. Like that time you asked someone something on the street, causing that person to cross the road 3 minutes later than she intended. If she had crossed the road in time without your question, she would definitely have been hit by that car. And besides, better a social person who is forgotten than a villain who is remembered.