There are some threads regarding genealogy over at PostMormon, and a lot of vitriol being dispensed for those who are proud of their illustrious ancestors.
Yes, it’s obnoxious to brag about royal/famous ancestry. For instance, I am a descendant of an historically important man who was also kind of an asshole. Anyway, my grandmother is so incredibly proud of this ancestor. She will bear her testimony about him. I’m not even sure what there is to say, but she works him into every conversation she can. She tried to brag about it in England once, and they were NOT IMPRESSED.
Some people are always reminding you of who their grandfather or mother or sister or cousin is. So what? If that makes them feel special, so what?
It makes me feel special that I’m descended from some very famous people who were instrumental in history. I think it’s interesting. I’m sorry if that makes other people feel insecure. That’s certainly not my intention.
Besides, being related to all those people is not exactly doing me any favors now. It’s just something that’s interesting to me. And I’m just as proud of my ancestors who were penniless, who passed through Ellis Island, who spent their lives trying to make ends meet. They were miners, farmers, fishermen… I’m proud of them too.
For every knight, there’s a drunk or a deadbeat (or a knight who was also a drunken deadbeat). For every person born in a castle, there’s about ten more born in hovels, or caves, or wagons. And all of those people passed on the DNA that makes me who I am. And to me, that’s pretty fucking cool.
So I’m sorry if you don’t like genealogy. But if you tried it, you just might find that you like it. You just might find something interesting. Something to be proud of.
