The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones. So William Shakespeare wrote about Julius Caesar, putting his words in Mark Antony's mouth.
But I can't help but think that Shakespeare got it wrong this one time. The truth is that death is the ultimate whitewash, cleansing the deceased of all their sins and leaving behind a saintly figure that often bears no resemblance to the person they actually were while alive.
The revisionism starts soon after death. All eulogies by family members and friends focus on the many virtues of the recently departed, some real but many imagined. Even the worst parent is recast as a doting presence by bereaved children. The surviving spouse of the most fractious relationship will have you believe that theirs was the love story of the century. And so on.
この記事は Brunch の August 17, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Brunch の August 17, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Sudhir Yaduvanshi
Playback singer, @Sudhir Yaduvanshi Music
Step, step step... and twirl!
Sangeet routines, wedding waltzes, party moves and those hip-hop pops you thought you couldn't do. Here are 10 accounts to keep you on your toes
A timeless story in three parts
Take a closer look at Anjolie Ela Menon's triptych, Yatra. Like life, it demands that the viewer embark on a journey
Hitting that suite spot
Most hotels go all-out with extravagant frills. But to truly shine, all they need to do is pay attention to the everyday details
It's what we've weighted for
Around the world, drugs that suppress appetite are all the rage for weightloss. We've taken to them faster than any diet. Could the war on fat finally be over?
Remote learning
The small-town success story is changing. Distance matters less. The fire burns brighter. Indians are realising that regional quirks are actually an advantage. See how an artist, an actor, a designer, a musician and a hockey champ celebrate their roots
Is there a bot in your closet?
AI is designing clothes, creating ads, and tracking who's buying what. Relax. We're seeing what it can't do too. Take a look
The big Apple of my eye
Bring back the frothy, shiny NYC romcoms where anything was possible. In a world going mad, that dream is all we have
Fit Check? Look Behind You
In gyms, someone is always filming. We are all in the frame without meaning to be. Is privacy at odds with fitness goals? Is consent even possible with all those mirrors?
Avantika Dassani
Actor, @AvantikaDassani
