Why do we want to be remembered so much?
This question, simple as it may seem, carries enormous weight - and is probably more common than we realise. Since the beginning of our existence as a species, we’ve been trying to leave a mark: on cave walls, in statues, in books, on social media. But why? What is it about the idea of being forgotten that feels so unbearable? Perhaps the answer lies in the fear of death. In the article “Have you ever thought of death as part of life?” , I wrote about how we tend to see death as an end, rather than a part of the cycle. And it’s precisely that end that so many try to outsmart by leaving something behind: a legacy, a memory, a trace. If someone remembers us, then maybe, in some way, we’re still alive - if only for a little longer. In the book The Fault in Our Stars , there’s a conversation between Gus and Hazel that illustrates this conflict perfectly. He, already diagnosed with a brutal illness, confesses that he wants to be remembered, to leave an impact and to m...
