The Generative Legacy of Neda Agha-Soltani

Her parents named her Neda, which in Farsi, (the official language of Iran), means ‘voice’ or ‘call’. Sadly, her name has shown to be so prophetically appropriate that it is appears as though providence had touched this young life since birth. Although she did not set out to be a leader or even an activist, Neda has become an iconic heroine of freedom and justice within the state of Iran and around the world. I make these observations as a geographically removed outsider; I am an American who is a fan of Iranian/Persian culture and an avid enthusiast of Persian history. (I even have an online store that promotes the Persian culture called http://www.PersianBazaarcheh.com, which translates to ‘little Persian store or bazaar.’) But I do not see Neda, nor the current Iranian reform movement, as new or even isolated instances of the Iranian people’s quest toward human dignity and equality. Neda rises on the broad shoulders of scores of generations of Iranian peoples and traditions who have been history makers and innovators within this realm. In fact, it was the Persian King Cyrus the Great, (Kourosh), who in 539 BC gave the world its first enumerated Human Rights Charter and instituted a rule allowing freedom of religious practice through his vast empire. In a poignantly ironic twist, Cyrus the Great is also the Persian King who freed the Jews from captivity in Babylon and allowed them to return to Jerusalem.

As a Legacy Lawyer, every day I encourage regular people to create, explore and recognize their legacies and to understand the importance of guiding the next generation. It is important for us to recognize Neda, and look inward for ourselves to see what we have available in our lives to create and generate our own lasting legacies. Whether our legacy’s focus deals directly with our personal journeys through life, our businesses, our families, our cultures or countries of origin, the value of these experiences are priceless to those we are connected too. This may be especially true for all of the Iranian peoples who have left the country and have children who have never been to Iran and are only able to see the images and news blurbs made available on the television and internet today. But this applies to all of us. Many of the cultures and civilizations we understand and revere today are in such a position because they took the time to speak and to write down the proper information and values for their future generations and therefore for all of us to benefit from, explore and understand.

My idea of a legacy varies from that of many traditional lawyers who primarily deal only with the transfer of tangible assets. My vision of legacy encompasses the intangible and sentimental elements of an individual or organization’s life that gives purpose and definition to the tangible assets they create. In many ways it incorporates the ancient adage of ‘teaching a man to fish’ as opposed to simply, ‘giving a man a fish.’ These methods, values and stories need to be passed on from generation to generation, so that five years from now and five generations from now people will continue to stand up against unjust acts because they understand who they are and who they always have been. We can honor Neda today in mourning her death and respecting the symbolism her death represents, but we must also take the opportunity to gather our families and talk. At this moment, it can be especially impactful for both Iranians and non-Iranians alike to discuss and share where we all came from, what was the Persian Empire, what did great historical figures like Cyrus I & II, Daruis I, (Daryoush), and Xerxes I, (Khsayârshâ), contribute to world history, what does it mean to be Persian, and why has a Persian Diaspora occurred? This type of exploration in our ever shrinking world will reveal that we are all people, miraculously connected with far more similarities than differences. Each one of us holding a unique path and story, yet all contributing our individual uniqueness to the global human quilt that constitutes humanity.

Neda in her life chose to walk out into the crowd as a civilian and make a statement against Injustice. In her death, she achieved Societal Generativity a special plateau of generativity reserved for only a unique class of individuals, usually achieved only by the likes of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Societal Generativity refers to a special ability and the requisite influence to create mass change on a community and/or societal level, often associated with influencing and guiding individuals who are not directly known or lie outside of the immediate reach of the originator. In an instant, due to the confluence of circumstance and the availability of technology, Neda achieved a mass global audience and her positive choice of taking a stand for what is right even the face of danger developed the requisite influence to be Societally Generative. “Every person has the same amount of influence; the only difference is the size of their stage.” How will you choose to use your influence?

I mourn Neda Agha-Soltani and all those who have fallen; and I congratulate and honor all who have exhibited the courage to stand up for Human Rights and stand against Injustice everywhere, past present and future.

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Revisiting Generativity

Generativity is a term coined by the psycho-analyst Erik K. Erikson,(1902-1994), who developed the concept as part of his Eight-Stages of Human Development in 1950. Generativity is not as well know as Erikson's work on "identity Crisis" another term he coined and which has made its way into the common vernacular.

Generativity was a part of the 7th-Stage of Erikson's theory and according to him occurred only during middle age. However, research since 1950, has shown the powers of generativity can be exhibited by people of various ages, although most often it does occur as one becomes more mature in age and understanding.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines generativity as a concern for people besides self and family that usually develops during middle age; especially : a need to nurture and guide younger people and contribute to the next generation. Erikson himself simply stated it as, "a concern for establishing and guiding the next generation." In a more modern and expansive expression Dr. John Kotre has stated it as "creativity between the generations" which is expressed in limitless variations in the following four categories:

1) Biological - the act of making a child;

2) Parental - the act of raising a child;

3) Technical - the creation of tangible works that will maintain an existence beyond your life, (i.e., paintings, writings, or a business organization); and,

4) Societal - the ability to create societal change and/or reform, (i.e., Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr., et. al.).

Because of the focus on impacting the next generation, an essential element of the generative process is that one must pass on or release whatever it is that they have created, in the case of a business enterprise it only becomes generative once the original creator passes the business on to another.

In our lives as we plot and plan our course, from our families to our art, it is very important that we are willing to let go of our creations in order to develop a generative effect. When you are raising a child, we aid the child in its development, in their forming their own identity and existence and we must eventually let them go in order for them to thrive. This begins slowly at first with the first time we leave them in another's care, when we send them off to school and hopefully continues to progress until the point when they develop an independence and self-sustaining existence. Throughout history creators have continuously thwarted their generative powers by not letting go of their creations, or by letting go too soon or too late.

We are all aware of our biological/genealogical connections to parents, grandparents, etc. And the world continues to show us how we are globally connected in ever increasing and overlapping ways. What if anything in your life has generative qualities? Where would you like to have generativity that it currently does not exist? Now that you know a little more about generativity, how do you plan to increase your generative effects for the future?

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