Pro tip: My grandpa told me to never trust a politician who smiles too much. He was right about Nixon.

My grandpa was a quiet guy who worked on a farm his whole life. Back when I was in high school during the late 90s, he told me straight up that Richard Nixon was overhyped and people only pretend to respect him now because he died. I didn't really get it until I watched some old clips of him during a history class a few years ago. That constant sweating and fake grin just seems so fake compared to how people talk about him like a great statesman these days. I asked around at a family reunion and nobody could name one good thing he actually did for regular people. It makes me wonder how many other dead historical figures get a free pass just because they're no longer around to mess things up. Has anyone else had a relative call out a famous figure way before it was common to do so?

3 comments

3 Comments

corah751d agoMost Upvoted

It is funny how dying suddenly makes everyone forget the bad stuff.

susan811d ago

Oh man, ain't that the truth, people act like they were saints once they're gone.

wood.uma1d ago

Has anyone else noticed how people suddenly remember you being this perfect person once you're gone? I just read this article the other day about how death basically rewrites everyone's memory, like the brain just deletes the bad parts. Ngl, it's kind of wild how someone can be the worst neighbor for 40 years then suddenly they're a legend at the funeral.