Most Significant Death Of Each Month

[Toast 14,797]

9 minutes ago, etib80 said:

I don't remember if MJ's death in 2009 was more significant than Queen's death ?

 

Good God, no.

[YoungWillz 18,948]

There's always the possibility of mass human extinction this century. That might edge it.

 

If only they'd listened to Charles..

[Banana 855]

14 hours ago, MortalCaso said:

This is a very underrated point. 

 

At this point in 1922 do you think people knew anything about landing on the moon, the Holocaust, or even something like Disney World? Saying a death in 2022 is the biggest when we have 70+ years left seems short sighted. 

 

I'd argue the majority of people alive in 2099 will have had a different monarch for most of their life by that point. Doubt it seems a big deal @Joltin Joe worded it well. 

 

Gonna 100% disagree that it's shortsighted. The 20th century was ripe with innovation, conflict and the advancement of civilization that is highly unlikely to be repeated. Just compare the 19th and 20th centuries. Also, each of the events you mentioned happened over 50 years ago. Think about all the people that the Queen and the Commonwealth have ruled over. There are probably millions of people without even access to the Internet who know who the Queen is. When you factor in both importance, influence and notability, I don't think anybody has or will come close. That also includes Hitler.

[Khthonia 98]

I would have to say Putin would be the closest. IMO but still far behind this magnitude.

[Youth in Asia 1,020]

She's not even the biggest death in her own family.

[Youth in Asia 1,020]

On 09/09/2022 at 06:18, Lafaucheuse said:

Someone like beyonce dying in an accident would be a close call too in term of cultural impact on the younger génération 

 

edit : maybe DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, jagger or Meryl Streep ? Someone like that you know 

If you're thinking of the younger generation perhaps you need to choose someone under the age of 40. Probably the only member of the younger generation who has heard of Jagger is his girlfriend.

[Toast 14,797]

7 minutes ago, Khthonia said:

I would have to say Putin would be the closest. IMO but still far behind this magnitude.

 

We're looking for most significant, not most welcome 

But the level of significance of Putin's death rather depends on who replaced him.

[Life Is Beautiful 695]

9 hours ago, Youth in Asia said:

If you're thinking of the younger generation perhaps you need to choose someone under the age of 40. Probably the only member of the younger generation who has heard of Jagger is his girlfriend.

That was probably true before that awful Move Like Jagger song, but not now.

[Youth in Asia 1,020]

That song was 12 years ago! I very much doubt anyone under the age of 18 has heard of him.

[gcreptile 10,211]

As much as QE 2 was known to everyone, I dont think she was THAT significant in history - because her role doesn't require it.

She was definitely an iconic symbol, for stability, dignity, as a woman in leadership, basically like a friendly neighbour to everyone.

But she never really interfered with history, because she chose not to.

It makes her similar to Obama, maybe, who was/is hugely important as a symbol, whereas his legacy, except for a couple of truly significant measures, was damaged a lot by his successor.

Putin, on the other hand, almost single-handedly resurrected a Russian Empire - until he, probably, ruined it all, this year.

 

Still, symbols are extremely important as well, see the reactions to Muhammad Ali. Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney didnt change history but "touched" millions/billions of people in little ways.

[msc 17,712]

This thread always reminds me of BCAlum.

[Life Is Beautiful 695]

On 11/09/2022 at 16:47, gcreptile said:

As much as QE 2 was known to everyone, I dont think she was THAT significant in history - because her role doesn't require it.

She was definitely an iconic symbol, for stability, dignity, as a woman in leadership, basically like a friendly neighbour to everyone.

But she never really interfered with history, because she chose not to.

It makes her similar to Obama, maybe, who was/is hugely important as a symbol, whereas his legacy, except for a couple of truly significant measures, was damaged a lot by his successor.

Putin, on the other hand, almost single-handedly resurrected a Russian Empire - until he, probably, ruined it all, this year.

 

Still, symbols are extremely important as well, see the reactions to Muhammad Ali. Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney didnt change history but "touched" millions/billions of people in little ways.

 

Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney definitely changed history and impacted genrations in more than just a little way. They are part of a handful of musicians whose impact was well and truly beyond their art.

 

Also, call me crazy but in this year's death entries alone, I think Gorbachev was much more impactful than the Queen in the six years he was in power.

[Grim Up North 3,565]

On 11/09/2022 at 09:47, gcreptile said:

As much as QE 2 was known to everyone, I dont think she was THAT significant in history - because her role doesn't require it.

She was definitely an iconic symbol, for stability, dignity, as a woman in leadership, basically like a friendly neighbour to everyone.

But she never really interfered with history, because she chose not to.

It makes her similar to Obama, maybe, who was/is hugely important as a symbol, whereas his legacy, except for a couple of truly significant measures, was damaged a lot by his successor.

Putin, on the other hand, almost single-handedly resurrected a Russian Empire - until he, probably, ruined it all, this year.

 

Still, symbols are extremely important as well, see the reactions to Muhammad Ali. Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney didnt change history but "touched" millions/billions of people in little ways.

 

I like this post as it challenges my original thinking and also challenges me to challenge the post itself. 70 years of insignificance sounds quite damning for someone we are spending 10 whole days mourning!

 

It is possible that in some crises like perhaps Suez and others that The Queen played a major background role that is not fully understood and that she may have had a more significant role in history than it would ever be apparent but I don't know that I'm just speculating. 

 

I'm not sure Obama was a great President who did anything significant other than be black and President (and probably by weak leadership helped Putin resurrect the Russian Empire - he was not alone in this talent).

 

You did make me laugh though managing to write about Michael Jackson, History (a greatest hits album?), 'touched' and people in little ways (little people in ways would have been more accurate) all in one glorious sentence.

 

[msc 17,712]

13 minutes ago, Grim Up North said:

 

I like this post as it challenges my original thinking and also challenges me to challenge the post itself. 70 years of insignificance sounds quite damning for someone we are spending 10 whole days mourning!

 

It is possible that in some crises like perhaps Suez and others that The Queen played a major background role that is not fully understood and that she may have had a more significant role in history than it would ever be apparent but I don't know that I'm just speculating. 

 

I'm not sure Obama was a great President who did anything significant other than be black and President (and probably by weak leadership helped Putin resurrect the Russian Empire - he was not alone in this talent).

 

You did make me laugh though managing to write about Michael Jackson, History (a greatest hits album?), 'touched' and people in little ways (little people in ways would have been more accurate) all in one glorious sentence.

 

 

Look at other heads of state of the world - Trump, Putin, all those African strong men Drol updates us on - or historic British ones (like every single Tudor) and 70 years as a mostly harmless insignificance seems worthy of praise, due to it being so damn unusual. Her public legacy is rather widespread decolonisation. Her private legacy is impossible to know until historians are allowed access to the files. And that may be a century yet. Tony Benn's story suggests she was quite pro-active behind the scenes, but to what extent and for what purpose none of us will know in our lifetimes. 

 

You ever seen Mr Smith Goes to Washington? Idealist goes to the Senate, is railroaded by how obstructionist and corrupt it is. Great film, the politics are fluffied for Hollywood but Jimmy Stewart's in good form. Anyhow, that reminds me of Obama's Presidency. Lots of great ideas, crushed by the US political system. Which makes Biden's actually getting shit done all the more surprising, to me at least! (And some of Obama's actual achievements got deleted by his successor.)

 

Anyhow, the most significant death of 2022 was obviously Bernard. 

[YoungWillz 18,948]

15 minutes ago, msc said:

 

Anyhow, the most significant death of 2022 was obviously Bernard. 

Bernard Shaw the CNN anchor? 

 

Anyhoo, if only the Wombles had been chosen for the Jubilee rather than Paddington....

[msc 17,712]

1 minute ago, YoungWillz said:

Bernard Shaw the CNN anchor? 

 

Anyhoo, if only the Wombles had been chosen for the Jubilee rather than Paddington....

 

Must admit, the Paddington as Grim Reaper meme on Twitter due to all the Paddington/Queen pictures has raised a chuckle!

 

Anyhow, Wombles, Paddington, that's like asking me to pick just one Dr WHo!

[Lafaucheuse 3,648]

I just red that organizing the protection around QEII’s funeral have been quite difficult. Imagine : an attack occurs and all state leaders die. That’d be, I think, the only thing that could outdo her death this far.

[frleon 124]

12 minutes ago, Lafaucheuse said:

I just red that organizing the protection around QEII’s funeral have been quite difficult. Imagine : an attack occurs and all state leaders die. That’d be, I think, the only thing that could outdo her death this far.

For all I know she might be lying in that coffin, alive, waiting, clasping the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch and waiting for the Abbey to fill.

[Vinegar Tits 584]

On 12/09/2022 at 23:51, Lafaucheuse said:

I just red that organizing the protection around QEII’s funeral have been quite difficult. Imagine : an attack occurs and all state leaders die. That’d be, I think, the only thing that could outdo her death this far.

 

I suspect the Powers-That-Be will be watching Putin/Russia *very* closely. He's not been invited to the funeral but that's no excuse for launching a nuclear attack in a fit of pique.

[The Daredevil 1,077]

2022

 

January - Sidney Poitier

February - Monica Vitti

March - William Hurt

April - June Brown

May - Ray Liotta

June - Jean-Louis Trintignant

July - Shinzo Abe

August - Mikhail Gorbachev

September - Queen Elizabeth II

October - Angela Lansbury

November- Leslie Phillips 

December- ?

[Youth in Asia 1,020]

Pele?

[Death Impends 7,361]

For something a little different... an "interesting other-lives type DDP hit of the month". Criteria is they couldn't have been too familiar to me beforehand but made for enjoyable obit-writing.

 

January: Bob Goalby - went into his obit thinking he'd be "played golf, won tourneys, that's that" only to find the scorecard error story proper fascinating

February: Christos Sartzetakis - that he was a (ceremonial) President of Greece yet it was a mere footnote in his life speaks for itself. Shout outs to Gail Halvorsen, Isabel Torres, and Abune Antonios.

March: Rupiah Banda - one for the "bad" type of interesting, sod's law in that an African country got one of the relative good guys only to be succeeded by a typical corrupto!

April: Feels kind of cheating to pick Art Rupe given I helped gain him DDP popularity. Perhaps David McKee?

May: Dervla Murphy

June: Sonny Barger one of those insanely memorable batshit lives. Shout out to Margaret Keane whose life story was far darker than I realized!

July: Brian Jackson

August: Tim Page. Shout out to Raymond Stanley Morris

September: Dan Lembo Moon Landrieu, maybe?

October: Antonio Inoki. Shout out to Carmen Callil

November: David Butler

December: TBD. If posting this now jinxes the month to be nothing but NFL players and Survivor contestants I swear to God!

I'll work on more general personal picks (read - mostly US-famous musicians/actors) later in the month

[oldhollywood 51]

57 minutes ago, The Daredevil said:

2022

 

January - Sidney Poitier

February - Monica Vitti

March - William Hurt

April - June Brown

May - Ray Liotta

June - Jean-Louis Trintignant

July - Shinzo Abe

August - Mikhail Gorbachev

September - Queen Elizabeth II

October - Angela Lansbury

November- Leslie Phillips 

December- ?

I’d argue that Olivia Newton John was the “biggest” August death

[TQR 12,055]

51 minutes ago, oldhollywood said:

I’d argue that Olivia Newton John was the “biggest” August death

A word of advice, don’t…it’s not worth the argument. Everyone has a different idea of what “biggest” or “most significant” mean in this context and the argument has carried on and likely will in perpetuity.

[Clarence 58]

January: Sidney Poitier/Meat Loaf

February: Monica Vitti 

March: Shane Warne/William Hurt 

April: June Brown/Kane Tanaka

May: Vangelis 

June: Jean Louis Trintignant

 July: Shinzo Abe 

August: Mikhail Gorbachev/Olivia Newton John 

September: Queen Elizabeth/Jean Luc Godard 

October: Dame Angela Lansbury/Jerry Lee Lewis 

November: Christine Mcvie/Jiang Zemin 

December: ????

 Possibly Pele or Jimmy Carter?