Through the last few posts, you can see that there is a general trend in this area that can’t be ignored. Bluntly said: if you have a reason to be famous, you will be remembered. If you don’t have a reason to be famous, you won’t be remembered.
For many people, that’s completely ok with them – I’m one of those people. But I do want to be remembered by the people I had an impact on which is something that I think is inherent desire for everyone.
I’ve published entries recently about Barry Manilow, Julie Andrews and Brett Farve which is completely understandable given the fact that they have a whole industry of reporters that follow the industries that they are involved in. But be careful to note, I’ve also published entries about my grandfather, my great-great-great-grandfather, my family and individuals that many of you probably don’t know at all.
The point I am making is this. For thousands of years, only the rich, powerful and famous were ever able (let alone allowed) to be remembered for centuries of time. Cheops had his Great Pyramid. Louis XIV had his Versailles. Trump had his….hair. All of them had scribes, artists, writers, reporters, biographers and legions of people that would do their bidding. Even Trump.
But what about that family member of yours who you idolized? Chances are slim that I would ever know them – much like you probably never knew my grandfather. But they are that person that meant a lot to you and now that they are gone, no one will probably read about them in the paper or see them eulogized on TV or have an article about them published on the internet.
Today, our lives are dramatically different in terms of what can be passed on through the generations. Not too long ago, the typewriter allowed us to save our thoughts on paper quickly. Later, the computer did the same thing, but it allowed us to save memories digitally through word processors. By making the data digital, it won’t decay over time – so long as we keep the computer in working order.
Not too long ago, the camera became an affordable amenity for the family. It was possible to capture moments in the form of images and save them in things like scrapbooks and baby books. What happened to the typewriter happened to the camera when everything became digital – now the pictures never fade unless they are erased completely or that the computer isn’t maintained properly. The same analogy can be made to the motion/film camera. Now, it’s almost affordable for many homes in America to shoot their home movies in high definition – an advancement thought impossible when the film camera came out.
With the convergence of media moving into the digital realm, it is now possible to save your family history digitally – which means that the “haves” no longer have the upper hand on the “have nots”. No, not everyone can have a biography done on them that appears on A&E Network, but everyone can do their own personal autobiography in digital form that can be copied and reproduced for family members, loved ones and most importantly decendants to view and experience.
In the coming months, The Family Time Machine will be producing a book of information on how to preserve your family history digitally. Right now, the ideas in this book are only available to those who can come to see me present it in person. I hope to be publishing a list of times, dates and locations where I will be giving this presentation soon.
Nevertheless, a manual is coming and you will be able to preserve your own family history without a great deal of expense to you or the people around you. In the next couple of months, I hope to be making an announcement so keep your ears to the ground – I think it is something you will want to take advantage of.
