Born On Second

It seems to me that one of the things critical to the success of the American Dream is the inviolable nature of the last will and testament. One works long and hard, and at long last reaps the material reward of all that effort. After passing on, what one can't take with them is passed down to the next generation (or whoever), presumably giving them a leg up as they pursue the course of bettering the family generation by generation. I believe in this and I don't.

Here's how the ambivalence breaks down. When you take what is passed down to start your own thing, I'm for it. When you take that legacy and just ride it, I'm not for that. I don't think that's what it's meant to be. Whether the inheritance is very much or very meager, it's a stepping stool and not an easy chair. I don't know what may be waiting for me (although in the past talk of firearms has been bandied about),  but I sincerely hope that I will invest it in service of something and not merely expend it.

That's my business, of course, as it is anyone's business what they make of what is given to them. Let me amend that, actually: it's no concern of mine how private citizens conduct their estates, but I care deeply about public figures- certain ones, anyway. I have about as little regard as possible for families whose only asset is the name and legacy of some celebrated antecedent. It nauseates me to see a gaggle of people who get up every day to spend the money of and put words in the mouth of a great man or woman who made their own way.

I gather that current copyright law has turned away somewhat from the intention of the founding fathers, who evidently meant for intellectual properties to belong to all after the death of the creator. This has been modified time and again at the behest of those who profit from the properties post mortem. Perhaps these changes have been unfortunate. I guess it's not the money end of things that pains me so much as the capacity that there is to stain and erode the legacy of the creators. I don't care at all for the people that do that. Being a blood relative should give you no such license.