Tree of Life/Knowledge
October 7th, 2020
Starring: A & B
A
I found this family tree project I did from elementary school. Where you had to map out your ancestry as far as you could go?
B
Oh yeah?
A
Did you ever have to do that?
B
No, but I did the 23andMe.
A
What did you find out?
B
98% “Broadly European”, 2% “Other.”
A
Love the detail—
B
Seriously—
A
So on this I was thinking back on the tree project, and I realized it was kind of wrong.
B
In what way?
A
Well we had to research and draw it out at home, and then we had one day where everyone had to get up and present their trees to the class. And I remember it was so varied. Like some of us knew our great greats on both sides and nationalities and stories, and then there were some kids who literally had no idea beyond their grandparents, sometimes not even. So some of the presentations were super in-depth, and some of the kids had two minutes and then were like “yeah, this is it,” which of course will make you feel like shit if you’re watching other kids go on for like 20 minutes.
B
Do you think some of them just didn’t try?
A
Well this was like 4th grade, so everyone had their parents helping them in some way. So I think it’s more on the parents that they didn’t really know—
B
Or their histories are less documented or followable—
A
Right and it’s not a bad thing that people don’t know. But my point is like the project was trying to have kids to get in touch with their own histories, but it ended up just exposing that not everyone has the same knowledge of their own histories—
B
Well and it’s also a matter of what’s preservable. Like I know enough stuff about my background, but at a certain point, there’s going to be no info because they didn’t keep records or pictures weren’t a thing or they emigrated—
A
Or were forced to—
B
100%...but now things are so preservable and accessible my lineage is gonna know so much about me whether or not they try to. Like they could hypothetically see my college essays or my camera roll—
A
Imagine having nudes—
B
That’s totally gonna happen with people—
A
And that’s scary. Like if I’m my great great great granddaughter I don’t know if at that point I’d rather know nothing about me than see that.
B
Just like I don’t really think my quintuple great “broadly European” grandfather would want me knowing he was a dirt poor farmer who died of common cold at 38.
A
Or he could’ve been the Earl of some city-state—
B
So I’m saying maybe a little familial ignorance is a good thing—
A
Keeps them wondering—
B
Right.
Some silence. B takes out their phone.
A
What are you doing?
B
Deleting my Facebook.
A
It might be too late—
B
Still. For my conscience.
…
A
Screw it. Might as well too.
A takes out their phone and does the same.