The year is 3855. A 17-year-old girl named Alexa and her
younger brother, Asher, are at a museum of history and
technology. In one of the display rooms, there is a collection
of ancient computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other
early smart devices. A few of which have been maintained and
restored in order to still function. Specifically, one laptop on display is setup
for visitors to use. On it, there are old digital tools
used for things like information storage, digital art creation,
communication, and personal upkeep, as well as browser applications
used to access early forms of the internet. As part of the
experience, the laptop has a sequence of default, archival
web pages that pertain to the exhibit, which is about early
stage digital content creation and internet communication.
Alexa and Asher play around on the laptop for a little, while their parents participate
in another exhibit. While scrolling through the internet pages, they come across a webpage
of a video sharing platform with a video titled, “Internet Video of an Animated Voice Over.”
The description reads, “This video is an excerpt from what is believed to be an interview,
speech, podcast, or self-produced video essay created between the late 20th and early 22nd
century. It simply serves as a sample for how individuals sought to use the internet
to communicate during its early stages of development and integration.
The source of the video is unknown due to digital dissemination,
false attributions, synthetic media replications,
and possible intentional anonymity.”
Alexa clicks play and the video starts. [One last question. When it’s all said and
done, how would you like to be remembered? It’s sort of a funny question, isn’t it?
Asking how you want to be remembered after you’re gone.
No one ever knows how they’re remembered after they’re gone,
nor does anyone ever experience it. And yet, for some reason, we
still ask ourselves these sorts of questions.
It’s a paradox, really; to want something after I’m dead,
but only be able to want anything while I’m alive. The question
is really more about what I want to imagine while I’m alive
then, isn’t it? What I want to convince myself my life can be
for beyond my own life; seeing as how I can only imagine beyond
my own life while my own life still exists? If I were to humor the question, though, I
don’t think I would want to claim any sort of banal, grandiose
answers. I don’t think I would want to say that I want
to be remembered as significant, or influential, or smart, or
famous, or wealthy, or powerful, or successful. Or that I changed
the world in some way. All of that would suggest that I can
know what any of that
even means in the bigger picture. In truth, I don’t know what it
means to be influential in a world that lacks clear direction. I
don’t know what it means to be wealthy in a world filled with
poverty. I don’t know what it means to be powerful in a universe
that trumps everyone and everything. And I don’t know what it
means to be smart or successful or to change the world as a
member of a species that’s restricted from understanding what
anything might really mean or cause. I am attracted to these things as much as
the next person, but I cannot say with certain honesty that
I believe that, in the end, any of these things are worth being
remembered for. I guess the next answer would be that I want
to be remembered as someone who tried. Someone who
tried their best to care. To help. To love. To be ok. To air on
the side of sympathy and compassion as best I could. To be a good
friend, good son, father, and husband. Someone who lived honestly,
with both conviction and a willingness to adapt in what
they think and believe. Someone who contributed towards something
they enjoyed and believed in simply because they could.
I am not entirely sure how good I was at any of these things,
and I know this answer might sound equally cliché, but if
anything is an answer to how I want to be remembered, I think it’s
that. But the truth is, history is coated with innumerable amounts
people who lived
with these qualities, and mostly none of them are remembered by
anyone at all. Perhaps being remembered isn’t all that
important then, if most people aren’t remembered for what’s
important. Of course, some people are remembered long
after they’re gone for things that do currently seem important
or useful. But even then, if one is remembered because they’ve
done something that’s considered useful, isn’t it the
useful thing that is truly being remembered, and not the person
in it of themselves? I mean, how does anyone know Albert Einstein
if not in terms of scientific contribution? It’s not as if
the world likes Einstein inherently. The world like’s his contributions,
or him solely because of his contributions. Any exploration
of his character and life is always contextualized and confined
within the borders of science genius. In the eyes of
history, Einstein would be no one if it were not for his scientific
contributions. But of course, Einstein was not no one, regardless
of his contributions. His contributions deserve celebration.
Of course. And so does he. But does our celebration of
him now change anything for him then?
I don’t know if Einstein was happy or if he wanted to be
remembered in some grand way or if he just wanted to understand
more than what was understood at the time. But isn’t it possible
that his contributions are a byproduct of his experience of
life, and not the source? I’ll certainly admit that there’s some
longing inside me to be remembered or thought of long after I’m
gone. I believe it probably comes from the same place that yearns
to live forever and lose nothing. But nothing lives forever,
and everyone loses everything.
To live for or care about being remembered is like planning
your own birthday party on a day that you can’t go. If I want to
celebrate my life, I can only do it now, while I’m still here.
I believe everyone should still dedicate themselves to the
something or some things that they want to be remembered for, be
it a cause, a passion, a good heart, or all of the above. But
not because it’s something that they’ll be remembered for. But
because it’s what they want to imagine their life is for. And
what you imagine your life is for, is what your life is for,
isn’t it? Whether one is remembered for it for 500,000
years or 5 minutes after they’re gone, makes no difference
to the person who lived for it.
Ultimately, I have no illusions that I will last beyond the
minds of a couple generations after me, at best. And so, what I
do now; what I dedicate myself to; what I experience behind the
eyes of my own self; must be enough. If it isn’t, nothing is.]
The video fades to its end and the screen prompts an arrow
pointing to the right with text that reads, “Next Page.”
Before clicking, Asher says, “Well that’s five minutes
we’ll never get back.” He pauses and says, “And who’s Einstein?“
“Yea. I don’t know.” Alexa replies. “I think he must have been a
scientist, or something. I think I’ve heard his name before.
That’s what it said, at least.” “Mmm.” Asher murmurs. “Alright,
well do you want to go check out something else now?” Asher
concludes. Alexa agrees and they walk away from the laptop
and onto the next exhibit of a different time in history.