Legacies Are Pointless

When you’re gone, you’re gone

It’s something you hear about more and more. Politicians, sportspeople, business leaders who want to “build their legacy”.

Every time I hear it, it makes less sense to me.

It’s a sign of how it has become increasingly the norm for people to be entirely self-centred with vastly overblown senses of self-importance.

What a legacy used to mean, and still does, technically, is money or property left to the next generation when someone dies. If you could put it into spoken words it might be something like:

“Here, have this, I can’t use it any more, and if it would help you, then go ahead, make the most of it.”

A bit like in the parking lot when someone gives you their ticket with a few hours remaining on it. A lovely gift. Not about them and how great they are, but about how it could be helpful to you. A selfless act.

But the kind of legacy the politicians, sportspeople and business leaders are on about would sound more like this:

“Hey! Don’t ever forget how amazing I was. Look! Look at the this building / statue / scholarship / research institute / annual prize with MY NAME on it. My body might die, but I can still try to control your perception of me. Don’t think you can get on with…