Originally posted by Moldy CrowEdison is certainly a good candidate, as are
I agree for the most part with who's not worthy to be on the list, but who would you put on the list? I think Thomas Edison would be a good start.
Jim Thorpe
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
John D. Rockefeller
Joe Hill
Cotton Mather
Ben Franklin
Thomas Jefferson
Crazy Horse
John Woolman
Jonathan Edwards
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterIs anyone gonna come out in support of Bush Jr's place in the league?
It might be because they have the chance to effect grand change on so many people. Who among us could not be inspired by the self-sacrifice or military prowess of a George Washington or the masterly statesmanship and diplomacy of a Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson?
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterThese examples are part of why I said 'in general'. I can easily name 10 American non-politicians who did far more inspiring things than Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan.
It might be because they have the chance to effect grand change on so many people. Who among us could not be inspired by the self-sacrifice or military prowess of a George Washington or the masterly statesmanship and diplomacy of a Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson?
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Originally posted by darvlayAlso part of why I said 'in general'. I agree that people should be on such a list due to humanitarian endeavours, but this is usually separate from politics. Politicians who are on such a list are on in spite of being politicians, not because of it.
I do, if they're humitarians and socialists. My list, if I was forced to compile one would consist of, generally, humanitarians, scientists, philosophers and artists.
EDIT This is especially true in democracies; there are few things more effective than winning an election for the person who wants to cynically compromise their ideals.
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Originally posted by royalchickenThey were all born outside the US (but presumably spent time in the country at some point)?
Here's a list of Americans, in no particular order:
Ayn Rand
Kurt Goedel
Arthur Rubinstein
Marcus Garvey
Niels Bohr
Cesar Chavez
What do all of these people have in common?
Edit: Nevermind - I just looked it up.
Originally posted by royalchickenThis is complete idiocy.
Why? He was just another opportunistic businessman who depended, to a large extent, on exploiting others' ideas. This is not necessarily not great, but others have done it better.
First - the "others who did it better" stood on his shoulders.
Second - what's wrong with being an opportunist and prospering from it?
Third - No inventor, scientist, thinker works in a vacuum. In this case, invention is not cojuring up something from nothing. Most of invention is taking that which is already there and putting it together in a new way, solving problems and perfecting the ideas of others, and having the vision of taking that which has been abandon by others and finding it's use.
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Originally posted by royalchickenAmericans of foreign origin (aren't all Americans like that with exception of the native tribes?) who made the U.S. greater?
Here's a list of Americans, in no particular order:
Ayn Rand
Kurt Goedel
Arthur Rubinstein
Marcus Garvey
Niels Bohr
Cesar Chavez
What do all of these people have in common?
🙂
Originally posted by royalchickenGetting paid for something, doesn't make you a bad person. I think people should be judged on the impact they've made on society, not the paycheck they recieved for it. Just because you're rich, doesn't mean you're a bad person, and just because you're poor, doesn't mean you're virtuous.
Why? He was just another opportunistic businessman who depended, to a large extent, on exploiting others' ideas. This is not necessarily not great, but others have done it better.