(Me? A true crime/podcast girlie and human person living in 2023 America who is aware of news? I know🙃).
Ahem: A poem
I am the bearer of the family line, Or so they say, it's been the norm for all time. But history has shown a tragic irony, For it was the men who brought about our family's demise.
In the west, women take their husband's name, A symbol of joining a new family, a new game. As the Bible says, a woman leaves her father's house, And enters her husband's, becoming his spouse.
But what happens when there's no male heir in sight? Nations and families have crumbled, it's not right. For power to consolidate, a son is needed, But what if the family line is impeded?
Across history, women's names have been changed, Their identity oft' rearranged. "Maiden name" and "née" en français, Why is it mom's name we don't say? In the Murdaugh family, the men were in charge, But it was their misdeeds that led to their discharge. Alex and Paul brought about the family's destruction, Both literal and figurative, it's a tragic construction.
I don't doubt the stories of strength and resilience, Or of misdeeds and wrong-doing with great consequence. But the microscope that Alex's deeds have brought, Has exposed the crumbling of our family's lot.
There are survivors. That much is true, But the amount bearing the Murdaugh name is few. Proudly or not, they'll carry this legacy, Of men who designed their own family tragedy.
Murdaugh was a prominent attorney in South Carolina, known for his work on high-profile cases. However, in 2021, his life began to unravel after a series of stunning revelations.
In June of that year, Murdaugh's son, Paul, and his wife, Maggie, were found dead on their family's property. The investigation into their deaths was ongoing when, just a few months later, Murdaugh was shot in the head while changing a flat tire on the side of the road. He survived the shooting, but it led to a series of shocking revelations about his life and actions.
It was soon revealed that Murdaugh had allegedly orchestrated his own shooting in an attempt to collect a $10 million insurance policy. He was also accused of stealing millions of dollars from his law firm and using drugs.
As more details emerged, it became clear that Murdaugh had been living a double life. He was addicted to drugs and had been engaging in a series of extramarital affairs. He had also allegedly been involved in a number of shady business deals, using his position as a powerful attorney to enrich himself at the expense of others.
The unraveling of Alex Murdaugh's life and the shocking crimes he committed highlight the dangers of blindly following traditional notions of power and prestige. The idea that only male heirs can carry on a family's legacy is a myth that has been perpetuated throughout history.
There are numerous examples among our human past of the importance placed on male heirs and the family name. In ancient Rome, the practice of "agnatic primogeniture" meant that only male heirs could inherit the family's property and titles. This led to the collapse of many powerful families when no male heirs were born. Similarly, in medieval Europe, inheritance laws favored male heirs, leading to the disintegration of many dynasties when no male heirs were available.
The Tudor dynasty in England is an example of how important male heirs were to a family's legacy. Henry VIII famously had six wives in his quest for a male heir, ultimately leading to the birth of his son, Edward VI. However, Edward died young, and the throne passed to his half-sister, Mary, and then to his other half-sister, Elizabeth I. While Elizabeth proved to be a powerful and successful monarch, her lack of a male heir created a crisis that ultimately led to the end of the Tudor dynasty.
Ginger Kings
Henry VIII famously had six wives in his quest for a male heir--
--ultimately leading to the birth of his son, Edward VI. However, Edward died young, and the throne passed to his half-sister, Mary, and then to his other half-sister, Elizabeth I. While Elizabeth proved to be a powerful and successful monarch, her lack of a male heir created a crisis that ultimately led to the end of the Tudor dynasty.
The case of Alex Murdaugh bears striking similarities to the story of King Henry VIII. Henry VIII is known for his six marriages, his role in the English Reformation, and his obsession with having a male heir to secure his dynasty. However, his ruthless pursuit of a male heir ultimately led to the downfall of his family and the destabilization of his kingdom.
Like Henry VIII, Alex Murdaugh was fixated on preserving his family's legacy and securing his own power. He was accused of stealing millions of dollars from his law firm and engaging in a series of shady business deals, all in an effort to maintain his lavish lifestyle and the perception of his family's prestige. He was also allegedly involved in extramarital affairs and addicted to drugs, demonstrating a clear disregard for the values of his family and community.
In Henry VIII's case, his obsession with having a male heir led him to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn. When Anne failed to produce a male heir, Henry had her executed and married Jane Seymour, who finally gave him a son. However, the constant upheaval and instability of his personal life contributed to political unrest and ultimately led to the English Civil War.
Similarly, Alex Murdaugh's obsession with securing his family's legacy and power led him down a path of deceit and destruction. His alleged involvement in the murders of his wife and son to conceal his own financial crimes has destroyed his family's reputation and left his surviving relatives struggling to rebuild their lives.
The comparison between Alex Murdaugh and Henry VIII serves as a reminder that the pursuit of power and prestige at any cost can lead to ruin and tragedy. The true legacy of a family is not based on their name or their gender, but on the values they uphold and the impact they have on the world around them.
Who hurt you, Men?
Oh-- no one? What? You've just been hurting each other and everyone else around you for thousands of years? Oh. ...cool...
It is a common practice in the global West for women to change their last name to their husband's upon marriage, symbolizing that they are joining a new family. According to statistics, in 2022, 70% of American females legally changed their last name when they signed their marriage license. This practice of women taking their husband's last name has been deeply ingrained in our culture for centuries, reflecting the patriarchal values that have dominated our societies.
The Bible even speaks of a woman leaving her father's house and entering her husband's, further emphasizing the idea of women being absorbed into their husband's family. This cultural practice of women taking their husband's last name has roots in the etymology of words in English and other languages. For instance, the term "maiden name" describes a woman's last name before marriage, while the French term "née" indicates a woman's birth name. Academic research has explored how this practice perpetuates gender inequality and erases women's identity.
In the case of the Murdaugh family, the patriarchal values that have historically placed men at the center of the family dynamic have led to their downfall. Alex Murdaugh's obsession with preserving his family's legacy and power led him down a path of deceit and destruction, culminating in the alleged murder of his wife and son. This has left his surviving female relatives, such as his mother and sister, struggling to rebuild their lives and the reputation of their family name.
So many conclusions from ChatGPT
The Murdaugh family's story is a reminder that the true value of a family's legacy lies not in their name or their gender, but in the actions and choices of the individuals who make up that family.
Returning to the case of the Murdaugh family, we can see how Alex and Paul's actions have led to the downfall of their family's legacy. While there may be surviving women in the family, the fact that the Murdaugh name will not be passed down through male heirs is a tragic irony that highlights the fallacy of this long-held belief. Ultimately, it is the actions of individuals that determine the value of a family's legacy, not their gender or their last name.
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