"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will." — author Chuck Palahniuk.
I think this is a good philosophy. I hope I can eventually have a more interesting legacy than a few lines of meta-code in some business's data warehousing toolset, which is the closest thing I have to having created something that might outlast me.
in a way, if you teach, you are creating something that will outlive you. It may not live forever, but teaching is something that gets passed on. Whatever information you have imparted on unsuspecting children, will in some way get passed on from them to their children. Every teacher I have ever had has affected me in some way, whether good or bad, which has contributed to the person I am today, which will effect how I raise my own children (should I ever have them.) Each teacher’s legacy lives on in me.
I think you’re right, completely. But I also still have “artist” fantasies – I suppose that’s what I was reflecting on when I wrote that.
In any event, thanks for the thoughtful comment.