Does posthumous memory have value?
I wrote this text on the 29th of January, 2024. Perhaps it is one of the most nostalgic days of the year. I do not know it. Still, on that day, I asked myself the question of whether posthumous memory has value. I wrote many times on the www.adammazek.com blog that I want to inspire future generations. Thus, it seems posthumous memory is crucial for me. Still, does that really count as what others will think about me after my death? I wrote many times that I do not care what others will think about me. It is still valid. But what about future generations? Should I care about their opinion? I believe I should care more about future generations rather than my contemporaries.
Why? It is because my contemporaries do not have to be objective towards all my doings.
For example, I’ve already written a text about why I will never buy Taschen’s “100 Movies of the 2010s” book. I stated that it is too early to judge the best movies, considering Taschen published this book not more than two years after the second decade of the XXI century ended. Undoubtedly, some of the films mentioned in Taschen’s book will be forgotten in the future, and other films from this period can become famous. I’ve already written texts where I stated that it is a time (to be more precise: future generations) that will judge artists (but only them!) fairly.
Moreover, I am 38 years old, and I feel it is only the beginning of my creative journey that will (I hope so!) last for another 50 years. Thus, I cannot believe my contemporaries judge me fairly. Also, I believe it is better to be remembered as someone who did something profound rather than become another anonymous and forgotten human who passed away, leaving nothing for himself.
