Not long ago, unfortunately (for them), I had a run in with a New Orleans member over their perception of themselves and their bloodline. Or more accurately, their own importance in the grand scheme of things. It got me thinking. This member seemed to think that because their forefathers may have had relative success on these shores, that this should allow them greater and more immediate opportunities than Joe Bloggs off the boat.

In many cases, depending on who your father was and how closely he worked with privileged others, it might well do just that. It's a fact of this world. But when you are speaking to people that don't know you, people that don't owe your father any favours and barely have any recollection of who you were, then perhaps it is time to suck it up. Work hard and earn yourself fresh opportunities rather than expect them to be handed on a plate to you or rely on previous glories to seek guarantees on what opportunities will be available in future.

Whether you are as important as you think, or it's self-inflated, is irrelevant in the face of rank and status. If those in charge at the time don't agree, then they don't agree, end of story.

My bloodline has had such perks in the past - as I'm sure most of us have - but the point is this...if you have to actually ask for status, you are doing something very fundamentally wrong.

Boaby

Very true, my father knew the Godmother of Detroit, back when she was just a Don. When I came to this thing of ours, one year later, I had to bust my tail to get to where I am.

I take nothing for granted, what I put in is what I take out.

While it is often the case that your bloodline will afford you certain privelages and opportunites, I don't think it is something that should be expected. If you come into this world thinking that everyone is going to lie down for you because of who your ancestors might be, then you will more than likely not get very far.

I think if it wasn't for the almost arrogant sense of entitlement held by New Orleans member that was mentioned, the entire scenario could have been avoided completely.

I am but another "Joe Bloggs off the boat", however according to some of my parental's diaries, they too enjoyed such perks. You are correct in saying that there are benefits to riding on the wave of a descendant's status, as I'm sure many others would attest. However, sometimes a fresh start is more than welcome.

To climb the ranks of anonymous Joe Bloggs, to really truly earn the status of Made? That's a feeling that being loaded with cash and friendly bodyguards from the get-go just can't achieve.

To have to ask, and as it seems, beg for a placement in one family based solely on the status of a recently deceased? That's rather disheartening.

Furb's response was like taking a lightning bolt to the tip of my penis. It was spot on.
I tried giving a response like his but he beat me.

Disheartening is the first word to describe this I think. More words such as arrogant and selfish come into play. I mean why should a relative of a fallen godfather get more attention than a Made Man who earned his button with his family and continues to earn and kill for his uppers?

It shouldn't happen. Good things come to an end, always.

I'm not sure whether or not I should be concerned that I electrified your appendage.

I think I'm going to make a badge along those lines, and wear it everywhere.

I can understand sons and daughters of worthy parents being looked after by their parent's close friends.  It's part of the natural order.

However, to have to beg to strangers and brandish your bloodline's names about in an attempt to get a position of importance seems a little distasteful.

If your high-ranked mother or father dies and you don't have a troop of people rushing to help you get on your feet, it's time to resign yourself to the fact that you're going to have to make your own way in this thing of ours.

I find that making my own way in this thing of ours is much more interesting than expecting to be able to jump on the gravy train and live off my fathers name, life to me is supposed to be challenging its half the fun!

Although I will say I have mentioned my fathers success in the past, not for status but just to show that I  have been exposed to how this thing of ours works and can be relied upon.

I dont think that who your relatives are and what they accomplished should have anything to do with what promotions you recieve today .. I have no past relatives on here and if i work twice as hard as the guy who does it wouldnt be fare for him to get the promotion over me so BoabyWanKenobi i really like this article and i hope that when it comes time for promotions that everyone will get a fair chance no matter who there relaticves were good or bad ....

Being a first generation on these shores I have had to work my way up from the bottom and prove to all round me that I am worthy of progressing through the crew and earning the respect of those round me.

If I were to day and my son was to follow in my footsteps I wouldn't expect anyone to do him any favours. I think that he should not live in my shadow but to make his own name for himself not just rely on those who respect me and who I have worked closely with. I think all sons and daughters, brothers and sisters should look to make a name for themselves rather than live in the shadow of their bloodline.

I have to agree aswell Boabywan. Just because my father was infact the former Death-Knight, Godfather of New Orleans I won't let that take over me and allow me to think I have special rights over any other Wise Guy. I am Bobblegob, Not Death-Knight. Death-Knight was my father which yes will allow me to find it a little more easier to make my way around this world but I won't let that stop me from working hard for my leader and Godfather/mother.

I am myself and everytime I have a new memeber in my bloodline, I start what I call a fresh for myself. People will trust my bloodline and infact give me privlages because my father was great and of course I will take those chances as I love them. But I don't ever come back and join a family and go.. Hey my father was Death-Knight now give me a good position as I know many other of my current family members have worked hard to get there.

I also don't expect any favors from anyone. I offer my services to people and if they need me then so be it. I help them but I will NEVER demand authority just because my bloodline has been successful and I don't think anyone should in that matter. So you did the right thing BoabyWan well done my fellow Jedi.

Ego and an inflated sense of entitlement often times plague certain bloodlines. It is obnoxious, but in the mind of the person throwing around past generations as a selling point, they feel that they are a commoditity that will be beneficial to whatever crew they are joining. I can understand and even appreciate the logic, but tend to agree with the sentiments of JohnMerrick and our Hedgehog Friend RonJeremy

I don't need the previous generations of my family to have an overinflated ego.  The fact that I'm so great in this generation is the reason I have this over-inflated ego.  Now, that's not to say previous generations of my family didn't have...what was the phrase...an inflated sense of entitlement.  They may have.  I don't know.  I wasn't there.  I'm here.  And I'm amazing.  And that's that. 

And why am I amazing?  Because I've worked through this generation to be amazing.  I would like to say I'm awesome, but there's a member of my family who has the copyright of that name, and I don't want to pay him the big bucks. 

The fact that people may have known my father, and respected my father, and now respect me because of who my father may have been is not as a result of my over-inflated ego.  It's a result of the knowledge that I was taught right and wrong by the man, have the same motivations as he had, and work as hard.  It's not as a result of what I have said, but rather what I have done in my time here.  The over-inflated ego is just a bonus that you all get to appreciate. 

BoabyWanKenobi brings forth a point that I most certainly agree with.

Regardless of any former success I usually tend to not take any hand outs or request status. I have to earn my way just as any other of my forefather's has. I don't believe in manifest destiny - just because you are the son or daughter of a legend doesn't make you a legend in your own right. It is up to you to take heed to the family line and make yourself what your forefathers were known for but accept that you are still different. We are not carbon copies, we do not come from a mafioso factory, you are not your father - but you are his legacy.

We must all walk our own paths and I am sad to say I have seen many a new mafioso who thinks they are entitled to something because their father was something they have yet to prove themselves to be.

Reply by: G_man at Nov 13, '09 10:11

I have to agree aswell Boabywan. Just because my father was infact the former Death-Knight, Godfather of New Orleans I won't let that take over me and allow me to think I have special rights over any other Wise Guy. I am Bobblegob, Not Death-Knight. Death-Knight was my father which yes will allow me to find it a little more easier to make my way around this world but I won't let that stop me from working hard for my leader and Godfather/mother.

I am myself and everytime I have a new memeber in my bloodline, I start what I call a fresh for myself. People will trust my bloodline and infact give me privlages because my father was great and of course I will take those chances as I love them. But I don't ever come back and join a family and go.. Hey my father was Death-Knight now give me a good position as I know many other of my current family members have worked hard to get there.

I also don't expect any favors from anyone. I offer my services to people and if they need me then so be it. I help them but I will NEVER demand authority just because my bloodline has been successful and I don't think anyone should in that matter. So you did the right thing BoabyWan well done my fellow Jedi.

I have to say, though I am sure you did not demand your current postition, I would be very surprised if you were made a wise guy right hand man if you had not made your parentage perfectly clear.  I am not saying that it is wrong or right, but I do think that maybe your situation is not the clearest example of a person who is making his own way

Unfortunately I also had the opportunity to talk to the person that motivated this speech (or at least I talked to another NO citizen that thought he was owed something), although it fits many people, to be honest.

If people recognize your father's successes, I think it's great. But if you have to go around telling people that they should give you roles because of whose son you are... maybe your father wasn't as big as you thought.

I know I had to work my butt off to get to where I am today even though my predecessor was also relatively successful and I didn't whine about it to anyone. Yes I did complain to myself the first few days that apparently my uncle's success didn't mean anything, but in the end, it did help a little. Unfortunately, at the time, many people had died so there wasn't enough room for me to be paid any sort of special attention.

nods and smiles

I must say Oh Jedi Master-de-Bater and fearless leader of mine, I am irked that someone approached you in that manner. Especially in New Orleans where the only good leaders that were here previously are still alive. Tallien excluded of course... This comment is of course Post BP as well. I would be wanting to keep my name in the shade if I fell on that dark period. Yes in general I do feel a sense of entitlement because of my bloodline, but not with "The Powers that Be" BUT instead with those I live and die for on a daily basis. I give certain other bloodlines my everything in this world, so when a relative comes to these shores I expect them to be taken care of in kind. Now will I go to a leader and say, I "yada mc ya ya" so give me Auth. Uhm, Hellzor Nah. I will take my current line and further cement my legacy, in the process becoming more amazing than Will Hayes and getting what I want that way.

~HF~

I have to say, though I am sure you did not demand your current postition, I would be very surprised if you were made a wise guy right hand man if you had not made your parentage perfectly clear. I am not saying that it is wrong or right, but I do think that maybe your situation is not the clearest example of a person who is making his own way
Reply by: Apollonia at Nov 13, '09 13:17

I understand what you mean my friend but one thing is this. I don't come to these shores and not state my family name and who was my father. My bloodline has infact gained me this trust to become RHM for Grassboy. BoabyWan said that this person came to him and said he deserved to have privliages because his father was successful. Where as myself I came to the shores and joined PedroRourke and worked hard once more before being asked if I wished to take upon the role. I never ask for my roles I wait untill I am given them.

Also why would I come to these shores after my fathers retirement and stay silent and not be proud to say who my father was ? I am proud of my father and my family bloodline and I don't wish to keep what family I belong to from anyone. I am clear with everyone about who I am as I have nothing to hide about my bloodline.

And like I said.. I never demand anything because of what my bloodline is. I gain my trust through hard work whether it be my father or my upcoming son who will gain that trust more. But my Bloodline is a bold one and will be trusted by many for the actions that myself, myfather and the rest of my ancestors have done.

Like I say.. I see no point in hiding my bloodline and going this so called.. Incognito that many mobsters do. As in my opinion.. If you mess your bloodline up by doing something daft and then no one will give you a chance then its your own fault. You should of thought about what you were doing before you did it to be fair. Im not aiming this at anyone in particular but as a whole on my opinion of going incog.

fair enough

From the stories that I've heard, I have much respect for your bloodline Bobblegob. They did great things with a bad lot. (Mafia pun. Criminals and what not. Haha?) However, I don't think every single person who goes underground does so because of a bloodline's mistake/s. As I mentioned earlier, sometimes the experience of building oneself from the ground up is well worth any associated issues of anonymity.

Admittedly, as demonstrated by the initial comment by Boaby, this is not for everyone. Thus, the number of children named virtually the same as their forefathers. To each their own.