DISQUS

Will Wilkinson: Dreams from My Grandfather

  • Skeptical · 1 year ago
    "That about a quarter of my genes are his makes his story part of mine only in a small causal sense."

    "My junior high English teacher (or the sum total of things I have eaten, for that matter) have more to do with what I am."

    That seems empirically pretty dubious, if we're talking about shaping your personality, abilities, life-projects, your mother, etc.
  • Kyle · 1 year ago
    Things to consider:

    1) How much is your "choice" not to attribute signifiance or meaning to the heritage you share with your grandfather determined by the fact that you didn't know him, as opposed to your desire (I'm assuming) to define yourself without reference to the ancestral? You might be more inclined to say you share things in common had you had a relationship with him (although empirically, as mentioned above, the amount of his natural endownment that is yours would be the same in both instances).

    2) The average defensive tackle for the Michigan Wolverines today weighs 296 pounds. I hope you like creatine.
  • GilM · 1 year ago
    Looks like he's number 27, not 37.
  • Harry · 1 year ago
    Whether you prefer it or not, a lot of your future physical health and some of your behavior is influenced by each of your grandparents. As you get older--40 is often when it starts--you will find yourself, if you're like many people, exploring your ancestry. You'll perhaps find that you, to your surprise, have a streak of brutishness or some more desirable trait, and you'll wonder where that came from.
  • Sol · 1 year ago
    Huh. What catches my attention there is that he played tackle on a championship team at 208 pounds. Today's Wolverine linemen would be a lot closer to 308. Strange to think I was too small to have a chance to play football there in 1988, but would have been the biggest guy on the team in 1930....
  • RJ · 5 months ago
    HI i guess that makes you my cousin leo draveling is my grandpa too so i guess dorthy most of been your mom i never meet her but only heard good things about her i never got to met my grandpa or my grandma either but i know them throgh story's i've heard growing up.
  • Will Wilkinson · 5 months ago
    Hey RJ, Yup, Dorothy was my mom. So you're Leo Jr.'s your dad, I'm guessing. Perhaps we met briefly at Gene's funeral? Drop me a line some time and tell me what you're up to.