Names

Don't ask me what for. Many years I asked that question myself. I have some answers for it. But a problem is, that there are too many of answers. And this is a sure sign that all of them are debatable and unconvincing. Therefore, I decided to speak out and then let everyone, who has read it, to decide for themselves what to do with it.. or don't.

There is no any clear, obvious meaning in my suggestion. Partly, it was dictated by the recent events happening to us, which were caused by the rampant coronovirus. In particular, when and where, if not in the situation of quarantine, we are more likely to do things, which don't have "clear, obvious meaning".

No, I'm not talking about crosswords, although I'm talking about "words", more precisely, about names. I suggest you write them down. With a pen, or better a pencil, on a piece of paper. At least start, try, and then feel how it will turn out. Write down the names of people who were in your life, were important for you. The names of those, whom we loved and hated, the names of our relatives, colleagues, fellow students. The names of those, who did we take an example from, with whom we were friends and with whom we fought, with whom we communicated in different situations.

The names, that will be included in this list depends only on you. You decide. It is better to fill out this list in one column, not succumb to temptation to write down any notes ...yet. Only the surname and, if you remember, the given name. Write down all names - the names of those that were, and the names of those that are. If you can pay attention to someone, can do something good to him, then do it now. If not, later you regret about it. Most of us will quickly run out of a piece of paper, we will have to take the next one, or look for a notebook. Why to write on paper? Isn't it easier to type on the computer? Why with pencils?

What am I talking about? Why did I come to this? How did it start? Why I'm trying to attach some excuses and explanations to the motives of my actions? It is a vague, irrational sense of guilt that comes over me from time to time, more and more often. Too often and too many people I didn't like enough and didn't listen them enough. Didn't support them, didn't appreciate them enough, didn't pay enough attention. I inflicted them suffering, I was unfair to them, voluntary or involuntary. I hadn't returned my gratitudes for the their kindness. I hadn't apologized. I hadn't wrote the letter. And many things cannot be changed and repaired. Many of this people are no longer with us, others are far away.

With the advent of the Internet, I tried to search for references in it about my relatives, friends and acquaintances - to no avail. It is clear why. Many people of the older generation simply couldn't, didn't consider it necessary and possible, or simply didn't have time to register in social networks or write something about themselves on websites. It was then that the idea came to me, that these people are worthy of our memory and, if it so happened that they lived before us and couldn't leave a mark of themselves in modern information space, we could do it for them.

We are witnessing some kind of magical kaleidoscope of events and technological advances that are changing our lives at a fantastic speed. Views, beliefs and preferences, values, standards of morality and rules of behavior are changing. Young people accept the new easily and naturally. Middle-aged and elderly people get lost and lag behind. Paper and pencil are for them.

Each of us is unique. Every human has only his own set of genes - the genotype. This cocktail of inherited information determines our appearance, the structure and functioning of our body, our instincts and innate abilities. We received this set of genes for use from our long-suffering ancestors. There is no personal involvement in this, and we are not at all different from other living beings. The result of genetic analysis identifies us better than any fingerprints. But our uniqueness is not limited to heredity. Twins have the same genome, but they are different. As biological individuals they are identical, but as persons, subjects, individuals they are completely different people. There were no such people and there will be no anymore, because each of them lives his own life.

And then, when appears a sense of desperate significance of the past, a desire to "look back", "comprehend", "save and transmit", you take out your diaries and begin to write memoirs. Necessary to admit, very few people are capable of this. What words, capaciously and concisely express our exclusivity and uniqueness that we acquire during the short time of our existence? I've never been able to accept simple answers to complex questions unconditionally, and yet... From birth, during the years of childhood and adulthood, during school time and work time, during illness, daily routine and bouts of creativity, there are people, who always present and take part in our life. And these people have their names. I think, it is the list of these names, that appears as a reflection, a cast, a matrix of our existence.

Later, much later, came the realization that the very process of writing is exciting and itself is a very pleasant pastime. Each name brings with it a whole layer of memories of long-forgotten events, thoughts and experiences. And the result, which does not commit to anything, is unexpectedly impressive and generates confidence that this is definitely not the end yet. And it is not necessary to share this intimate, deeply personal creation with anyone. Let it be. Time passes, and while there is some, you can just pick up a pencil ... and you don't need any internet.

However, if there is a desire to use your work for the benefit of other people, perhaps unknown, you cannot do without publication. Each list of names would be unique, and publishing that lists in the Internet would allow search engines, using modern information processing algorithms, to build chains and networks of people connected by ties of kinship, place of residence, study or work. No one will be forgotten or lost. Thus, we greatly increase the possibility to find a person, or those who remember him and can report any information about him.

Here is an example. If you try to find in the Internet an ordinary name - for example, Pavel Ivanov (you do not remember the patronymic) - then you will simply get lost among the tens and hundreds of thousands of documents found. But in case if some of his and your fellow student, for example, Fomin, published a document that lists several people from your group and leaves his own contact for communication, then by searching through documents containing several surnames from your group - Ivanov, Petrov, Sidorov - you will quickly find this document and will be able to contact this Fomin, write about yourself, clarify some details, get additional information. At that Fomin himself, for the time being, can remain anonymous, as long as he doesn't recognize you and doesn't want to identify himself.

Yes, indeed, modern social networks unite millions of people. All these people have access to the Internet and actively use it, they have registered their own mailboxes and have registered on Facebook and VKontakte. Unfortunately, among these millions people there are no those, who, for various reasons, could not or did not have time to do it, and we can at least mention them. Consider it an attempt to jump on an outgoing train.

I want to emphasize that for publication on the Internet, in order not to violate anyone's rights, it is necessary and sufficient to write down only the names and no other information. On what site and in what form should this information be placed? Everywhere, where you can leave your contacts and search engines will be able to index your document.

Special thanks to those unknown people who will write a mobile application for this purpose and create the site, a service that will help not very advanced users to post such information, as well as protect those users from scammers and annoying and unfair advertising. And those, who want to remain anonymous, could remain anonymous.

pag3@yandex.ru