How Would You Like To Be Remembered?
I have just started watching a TV series called The Tudors, based on the eventful love life of King Henry VIII. It takes a few liberties with historical fact (it’s more the sexed-up Mills & Boon version), and Jonathon Rhys Myers is far too boyish to play such a heavyweight (and heavy) figure. Perhaps he will prove me wrong by the time we reach the sixth wife.
The reason I mention it is that King Henry probably wanted to be remembered as a brave, noble king who excelled at hunting (animals, not just women). Instead, he is remembered in sensationalist tabloid style as a saggy, syphilis-addled tyrant who chopped some of his wives’ heads off, divorced others and changed religions to suit his marital whims.
Likewise, in more modern times, Britney Spears probably wants to remembered as good Mom and performer, but at the rate she is going will be remembered as a flaky, lip-syncing ditz who shaves her head and regularly emerges from cars sans lingerie. Amazingly, it is reported that despite doing almost nothing recently she still rakes in over $700K a month. And she is currently #2 in today’s Google searches for the aforementioned disastrous MTV performance.
So is being remembered for seemingly negative things better than not being remembered at all? Is bad publicity better than no publicity? What say you?
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Thursday, September 13th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
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I say remember me well or not at all. I have worked very hard to maintain my family name, Callaby, because it is kind of rare now. I have heard of a few Callaby’s reaching some sort of fame and I know one of them works for the BBC so that is kind of cool.
I just feel so sorry for these people such as Britney Spears because she is just so misguided and needs more direction in her life. I do not think that making more than 700 thousand a month has really done her a whole lot of good in her life. Hopefully she will straighten up if not for her own sake but the well fare of her children.
I want to be remembered well or not at all. Bad publicity would mean hurting my family and I do not think that would be a good thing at all.
September 14th, 2007 at 2:44 amI’d rather be remembered for doing something unbelievable, going out in a blaze of glory as they say. i think a lot of people don’t care anymore as long as their name brings in some sort of recognition. the problem with the publicity point you bring up is that there is no such thing as bad publicity anymore, people will look for your faults as well as your achievements and there will always be a demand for both.
September 14th, 2007 at 4:19 amI think it’s assumed that most people want to be remembered for doing something great, but chances are that isn’t going to happen. Being bad is always easier anyway. You can try to do something great but if that doesn’t work out you can try to assassinate somebody important, at least then you won’t go out forgotten.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:03 amIt’s probably bad only if that’s all this person is able to do. Once Britnet is old and ugly I think she’ll be quickly forgotten (long before then perhaps).
September 14th, 2007 at 8:25 am