Top 10 People Alive Today

[Godot 149]

While beavering away for hours pondering for a moment or two yesterday on NAP's quiz I started making a list of 10 people alive today who have made a real difference in our lives (instead of 10 most famous or 10 biggest celebrities) and will be remembered long in to the future for the changes they influenced. Here's my top 10 to kick off. Three who came close for me were Fidel Castro, Bill Clinton and Wen Jiabao. Only two of those below are on the current DL. What would your list look like?

 

Neil Armstrong

Mikhail Gorbachev

James D Watson

Francis Collins

Tim Berners-Lee

Nelson Mandela

Margaret Thatcher

Bill Gates

Mohammed Ali

Paul McCartney

[Magere Hein 1,400]

What would your list look like?

I agree with four of your picks:

• Neil Armstrong
  
• Mikhail Gorbachev
  
• James D Watson
  
• Nelson Mandela
  

I'd choose some others:

• Robert M. Pirsig
  
• Douglas Hofstadter
  
• Gabriel García Márquez
  
• Boris Spassky
  
• Atje Keulen-Deelstra (who?)
  
• Drs. P (who? Oh, he.)
  

regards,

Hein

Edited August 13, 2011 by Magere Hein
Youtube link to "De Zusters Karamazov" added.

[time 8,596]

I'm assuming you're after the people who have made a difference to the world in which we live, thus influencing our lives and the way we live as a society, rather than at an individual level.

 

 

That being the case I'd go along with

 

Armstrong

Mandela

Gorbachev

Thatcher

Gates and

Berners-Lee

 

and to those I'd add

 

Lech Walesa

Simon Cowell

Stelios Haji-Ioannou

Peter Bazalgette

[themaninblack 2,112]

I'm assuming you're after the people who have made a difference to the world in which we live, thus influencing our lives and the way we live as a society, rather than at an individual level.

 

 

That being the case I'd go along with

 

Armstrong

Mandela

Gorbachev

Thatcher

Gates and

Berners-Lee

 

and to those I'd add

 

Lech Walesa

Simon Cowell

Stelios Haji-Ioannou

Peter Bazalgette

 

 

I presume they changed the World for the worse?

[time 8,596]

I'm assuming you're after the people who have made a difference to the world in which we live, thus influencing our lives and the way we live as a society, rather than at an individual level.

 

 

That being the case I'd go along with

 

Armstrong

Mandela

Gorbachev

Thatcher

Gates and

Berners-Lee

 

and to those I'd add

 

Lech Walesa

Simon Cowell

Stelios Haji-Ioannou

Peter Bazalgette

 

 

I presume they changed the World for the worse?

You presume correctly (I've also taken the liberty of correcting an omission).

[themaninblack 2,112]

Here's mine:

 

Alan Greenspan

George H.W. Bush

Rupert Murdoch

Steve Jobs

Tim Berners-Lee

Margaret Thatcher

Mikhail Gorbachev

Jiang Zemin

Larry Page

Nelson Mandela

[Rotten Ali 600]

TMIB - I'll shadow you on...

 

Rupert Murdoch

Steve Jobs

Mikhail Gorbachev

Nelson Mandela

 

but I'll add...

 

Bob Geldoff - saved most of Africa!

The Queen - gave away an empire so many peoples could have self rule.

Billy Graham - had the ear of so many Presidents

Seb Blatter &

Bernie Ecclestone - for their masterfull control over major sport empires.

 

and an evil influence...

 

Ayman Al Zawahri

 

 

ten is a short list I really could throw these in too but heck...

Al Gore - but that story has time to run...

Thatcher - but that's more a British influence...

Michael Moore - but that's more an American thing...

Clarence Thomas - just about a job for life and just those eight folk make laws (right or wrong) for 400 million...

Dali Lama - for self control in the face of mass opression...

Chuck Berry - like in the case of McCartney, even he took influence from others who are still alive...

Vladimir Puttin - it's the old Batman & Robin story still - it looks like Medviadev just follows orders...

The Pope - no matter who - he still commands vast influence and makes changes that rule so many lives...

Oprah Winfrey - shaped modern everyday thinking for millions over the last 20 years...

& Bill Gates - Number 1, King of the Nerds.

[Tuber Mirum 125]

What about Drew Barrymore?

[CaptainChorizo 1,977]

What about Drew Barrymore?

 

On the list of 100,000 people who made a different she is a few spots behind Snooki .

[Godot 149]

The Queen is an interesting choice RA. I'd always assumed that she did no more than put her name to agreements that had already been thrashed out by politicians. But she will certainly be remembered. The problem is that kings and queens get a head start in the history books since they have to get a mention. But usually its just as a signpost as in "in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II." I wanted to include a musician but I'm wondering if I should have gone for Dylan rather than number two in the writing duo that was Lennon and McCartney. If enough people contribute a list here it would be interesting to aggregate the choices for a definitive list. Not sure how many lists there would need to be for this to be statistically interesting. I'm sure RA can tell us.

[sympathyforthedevil 11]

Mikhail Gorbachev

Nelson Mandela

Rupert Murdoch

Fidel Castro

Bill Gates

Tim Berners-Lee

Paul McCartney

Henry Kissinger

The Dalai Lama

Banshee's Scream

[Tempus Fugit 214]

Of all the names mentioned so far there seems to be a distinct dearth of women .

 

Cue James Brown...

[time 8,596]

Of all the names mentioned so far there seems to be a distinct dearth of women .

 

Cue James Brown...

 

So who would you add? Lets see your list.

 

Edit: My list - remove Bazalgette, add Murdoch.

[Tempus Fugit 214]

Of all the names mentioned so far there seems to be a distinct dearth of women .

 

Cue James Brown...

 

So who would you add? Lets see your list.

 

Edit: My list - remove Bazalgette, add Murdoch.

I'd add J. K. Rowling, she's certainly had a major impact in publishing and her Harry Potter novels will likely endure the test of time.

[time 8,596]

Of all the names mentioned so far there seems to be a distinct dearth of women .

 

Cue James Brown...

 

So who would you add? Lets see your list.

 

Edit: My list - remove Bazalgette, add Murdoch.

I'd add J. K. Rowling, she's certainly had a major impact in publishing and her Harry Potter novels will likely endure the test of time.

 

and the other 9?

[Rotten Ali 600]

The Queen is an interesting choice RA. I'd always assumed that she did no more than put her name to agreements that had already been thrashed out by politicians. But she will certainly be remembered. The problem is that kings and queens get a head start in the history books since they have to get a mention. But usually its just as a signpost as in "in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II." I wanted to include a musician but I'm wondering if I should have gone for Dylan rather than number two in the writing duo that was Lennon and McCartney. If enough people contribute a list here it would be interesting to aggregate the choices for a definitive list. Not sure how many lists there would need to be for this to be statistically interesting. I'm sure RA can tell us.

Only need 12 good and true to produce a verdict

[Tuber Mirum 125]

Of all the names mentioned so far there seems to be a distinct dearth of women .

 

Cue James Brown...

 

So who would you add? Lets see your list.

 

Edit: My list - remove Bazalgette, add Murdoch.

I'd add J. K. Rowling, she's certainly had a major impact in publishing and her Harry Potter novels will likely endure the test of time.

 

and the other 9?

I did mention Drew Barrymore earlier

[STEVE DEATH 0]

If they're alive, they aren't important.

 

Same applies to anyone in history - all the important people have been assassinated or executed.

 

examples.... Winston churchill is far more respect now then he was when he was alive, same goes for john Lennon and jfk and many more..

Before anyone corrects me i know Churchill was not executed or murdered.

How well known would people Like James dean and marilyn monroe be today if they had not had an early appointment with the Grim Reaper

[themaninblack 2,112]

Of all the names mentioned so far there seems to be a distinct dearth of women .

 

Cue James Brown...

 

So who would you add? Lets see your list.

 

Edit: My list - remove Bazalgette, add Murdoch.

I'd add J. K. Rowling, she's certainly had a major impact in publishing and her Harry Potter novels will likely endure the test of time.

 

and the other 9?

I did mention Drew Barrymore earlier

 

She'd make my 10, but of an entirely different list

[Godot 149]

If they're alive, they aren't important.

 

Same applies to anyone in history - all the important people have been assassinated or executed.

 

examples.... Winston churchill is far more respect now then he was when he was alive, same goes for john Lennon and jfk and many more..

Before anyone corrects me i know Churchill was not executed or murdered.

How well known would people Like James dean and marilyn monroe be today if they had not had an early appointment with the Grim Reaper

I can remember Churchill when he was alive and I can tell you he was as revered in life as he has been since his death (except in South Wales). Your argument, if it's worthy of the name, is plain daft. People don't become important because they have died although death does allow historians the perspective of distance when assessing a life that has been completed. Are you saying that Bardot is not remembered as an actress because she isn't dead yet or that Castro's place in history is not secure? Are you saying that Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War is insignificant? Or that Mandela's role in ending apartheid is trivial? Or that the discovery of DNA or the development of the worldwide web that allows you to post such nonsense is nothing out of the ordinary? Get a grip Steve. After six years of hibernation I would have hoped for something better than this.

[themaninblack 2,112]

If they're alive, they aren't important.

 

Same applies to anyone in history - all the important people have been assassinated or executed.

 

examples.... Winston churchill is far more respect now then he was when he was alive, same goes for john Lennon and jfk and many more..

Before anyone corrects me i know Churchill was not executed or murdered.

How well known would people Like James dean and marilyn monroe be today if they had not had an early appointment with the Grim Reaper

I can remember Churchill when he was alive and I can tell you he was as revered in life as he has been since his death (except in South Wales). Your argument, if it's worthy of the name, is plain daft. People don't become important because they have died although death does allow historians the perspective of distance when assessing a life that has been completed. Are you saying that Bardot is not remembered as an actress because she isn't dead yet or that Castro's place in history is not secure? Are you saying that Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War is insignificant? Or that Mandela's role in ending apartheid is trivial? Or that the discovery of DNA or the development of the worldwide web that allows you to post such nonsense is nothing out of the ordinary? Get a grip Steve. After six years of hibernation I would have hoped for something better than this.

 

I didn't know you were that old, Godot...

[Windsor 2,233]

If they're alive, they aren't important.

 

Same applies to anyone in history - all the important people have been assassinated or executed.

 

examples.... Winston churchill is far more respect now then he was when he was alive, same goes for john Lennon and jfk and many more..

Before anyone corrects me i know Churchill was not executed or murdered.

How well known would people Like James dean and marilyn monroe be today if they had not had an early appointment with the Grim Reaper

I can remember Churchill when he was alive and I can tell you he was as revered in life as he has been since his death (except in South Wales). Your argument, if it's worthy of the name, is plain daft. People don't become important because they have died although death does allow historians the perspective of distance when assessing a life that has been completed. Are you saying that Bardot is not remembered as an actress because she isn't dead yet or that Castro's place in history is not secure? Are you saying that Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War is insignificant? Or that Mandela's role in ending apartheid is trivial? Or that the discovery of DNA or the development of the worldwide web that allows you to post such nonsense is nothing out of the ordinary? Get a grip Steve. After six years of hibernation I would have hoped for something better than this.

 

I didn't know you were that old, Godot...

 

He can remember Chamberlain waving his bit of paper too...

[Godot 149]

If they're alive, they aren't important.

 

Same applies to anyone in history - all the important people have been assassinated or executed.

 

examples.... Winston churchill is far more respect now then he was when he was alive, same goes for john Lennon and jfk and many more..

Before anyone corrects me i know Churchill was not executed or murdered.

How well known would people Like James dean and marilyn monroe be today if they had not had an early appointment with the Grim Reaper

I can remember Churchill when he was alive and I can tell you he was as revered in life as he has been since his death (except in South Wales). Your argument, if it's worthy of the name, is plain daft. People don't become important because they have died although death does allow historians the perspective of distance when assessing a life that has been completed. Are you saying that Bardot is not remembered as an actress because she isn't dead yet or that Castro's place in history is not secure? Are you saying that Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War is insignificant? Or that Mandela's role in ending apartheid is trivial? Or that the discovery of DNA or the development of the worldwide web that allows you to post such nonsense is nothing out of the ordinary? Get a grip Steve. After six years of hibernation I would have hoped for something better than this.

 

I didn't know you were that old, Godot...

I was running around in short pants and had snot on my top lip but I remember his funeral and I still have my Winston Churchill commemorative crown. A friend of mine met him and said he had a real presence. Oh aye in them days the Blue Peter boat was a real one sailing on the sea and

In fact that's where I learned to dance techno

, still do. We had

back then and didn't worry too much about leaves on the line. Our first car was a

and the first film I remember seeing at the pictures was Petticoat Pirates staring Charlie Drake who never made it as a pop singer. Even at that tender age I could see that the film was shite.

[Godot 149]

If they're alive, they aren't important.

 

Same applies to anyone in history - all the important people have been assassinated or executed.

 

examples.... Winston churchill is far more respect now then he was when he was alive, same goes for john Lennon and jfk and many more..

Before anyone corrects me i know Churchill was not executed or murdered.

How well known would people Like James dean and marilyn monroe be today if they had not had an early appointment with the Grim Reaper

I can remember Churchill when he was alive and I can tell you he was as revered in life as he has been since his death (except in South Wales). Your argument, if it's worthy of the name, is plain daft. People don't become important because they have died although death does allow historians the perspective of distance when assessing a life that has been completed. Are you saying that Bardot is not remembered as an actress because she isn't dead yet or that Castro's place in history is not secure? Are you saying that Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War is insignificant? Or that Mandela's role in ending apartheid is trivial? Or that the discovery of DNA or the development of the worldwide web that allows you to post such nonsense is nothing out of the ordinary? Get a grip Steve. After six years of hibernation I would have hoped for something better than this.

 

I didn't know you were that old, Godot...

 

He can remember Chamberlain waving his bit of paper too...

No call for that. I'm not Dad's Deathlister, not while Clive Dunn's alive.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

I was running around in short pants and had snot on my top lip but I remember his funeral and I still have my Winston Churchill commemorative crown. A friend of mine met him and said he had a real presence. Oh aye in them days the Blue Peter boat was a real one sailing on the sea and

In fact that's where I learned to dance techno

, still do. We had

back then and didn't worry too much about leaves on the line. Our first car was a

and the first film I remember seeing at the pictures was Petticoat Pirates staring Charlie Drake who never made it as a pop singer. Even at that tender age I could see that the film was shite.

I don't remember Churchill's death, but that Real Weather happened in my first winter, one that's the stuff of

. Ford Prefect is, for me, a character in THGttG. Me dad drove a white Ford Taunus 12-M. We didn't have TV till 1969, when a set was bought to watch the Apollo 11 mission. The first film I remember watching in the cinema was Jungle Book. My first real hero was Floris.

 

regards,

Hein