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The Balloon Debate - Most Important Person to the World

Hello everybody!

I'm doing a balloon debate at the moment, and thought it was strange that nothing of the kind had appeared on TSR, except for the threads on Great Historical Figures. The basics are if there was a hot air balloon and only one person, dead or alive, could remain in it who would it be? In other words, who is the most significant figure to the world?

I've personally pinned my colours on Mahatma Gandhi. However, should it be someone like Gandhi who put theories into action, or should it be those who theorised in the first place (such as Henry David Thoreau who wrote the essay Civil Disobedience).

Others might argue that people like Machiavelli and Bismarck, who form the politics that are the basis for many nations, and were very successful.

Of course, finally, there's always one who goes for the concept of the Uknown Soldier - does He deserve to be at the top? Yes he fought for us and died for us - but what was unique contribution to the world that others will continue to benefit from?

PS Sorry about the random selection for the poll!

Scroll to see replies

Che Guevara?

What the hell did he ever do for the world?

Reply 3

ForeverIsMyName

Where the **** is Aristotle?

Reply 4

Speleo

I put Jesus, because I think he was probably the most influential person in the balloon, and that's what I assumed you wanted to know.

EDIT: p.s. I love the little descriptions, explaining who Jesus was etc. :wink:

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What the hell did he ever do for the world?

Made huge changes to Latin America and became a role model for teenagers/students the world over.

Reply 5

Refused

Surely it must be the Montgolfier brothers, they did invent the hot air balloon after all. If anyone is going to have priority, it should be them.

Reply 6

Longshoredrift80

Speleo

Made huge changes to Latin America

What, by being Castro's chief 'remover' of political opponents? He hardly made changes single-handed, and it's not exactly obvious that the changes he made actually did more good than bad, considering the role he played in undemocratic, politically-oppressive regimes such as that of Castro.

Speleo

and became a role model for teenagers/students the world over.

I don't see how encouraging ignorant leftist idiots to become fighters for the failed socialist revolution (and perhaps be put in charge of removing opponents of a dictatorial demagogue who doesn't allow any democracy or opposition and inspires thousands of his people to try and flee using methods they know are likely to kill them, as Che was), is exactly a major accomplishment.

I'm going to pilfer a line from Blackadder:
"He's the most overrated human being since Judas Iscariot won the AD 31 Best Disciple Competition."

Reply 7

Drogue

Leo-Marcus

Surely if he's the only one left, he doesn't need to benefit anyone else. Therefore I vote for the happiest man alive - if everyone else is dead, that's the way to make the population as happy as possible.

If you're presuming only famous thinkers are in the balloon, then I'd put forward one crucial point - we should be rewarding those that can still contribute a lot, not those that have. Does Plato have anymore to contribute, or has he contributed all he had to? If I could save one person, it would be Frank Ramsey - he, IMHO, had more left to contribute when he died than anyone else in history.

Has you noticed that, while you say anyone "dead or alive", you only include the dead in your poll?

Reply 8

Refused

ForeverIsMyName

Where the **** is Aristotle?

I think 3 philosophers will be one too many. Althought I wonder how many philosophers it would take to fly a hot air ballon? 0 since they'll all probably contradict themselves to whether the hot air balloon need flying at all.

Reply 9

Ferrus

I would say it depends on the field: Plato and Aristotle dominated Academia for years but had little other effect.

In general terms I'd have to say Jesus and the Prophet Mohammend were the most influencial people simply in the way the religous movements associated with them have defined so much of the world for the last two millenia.

Reply 10

Ferret_messiah

If it's based purely on influentialness, Adam Weishaupt. His floating head still controls the world's shadow governments after all.

Reply 11

Angel Interceptor

ferrus

I agree that Jesus and Mohammed are both worthy considerations, however noone is absolutely certain whether these people actually existed.

Anyhows, I voted for Ghandi because I believe that liberating 350,000,000 people is no small task - he changed the way people regarded the occupation of India, as opposed to fighting them - that was his contribution.

Anyhows, Albert Einstein said this quite fitting tribute after Ghandi's assassination:

"Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth."

Reply 12

Stranksy

Nikola Tesla

He gave us AC current, electric motors, tesla coils and the beginnings of zero point energy (yes, it does exsist!)

He is probably the greatest scientific boff that has ever walked the planet.

Reply 13

Ferrus

pratikv

I agree that Jesus and Mohammed are both worthy considerations, however noone is absolutely certain whether these people actually existed.

It is certain Mohammed existed, he actually has a grave and there is a massive amount of evidence showing his existence, not least the Qu'ran.

Jesus almost certainly did to: the historical evidence suggets that he did. Besides the rest of the Bible is actually quite accurate on its history, excpeting Genesis of course, ancient Near Eastern records collaborate with the history of the Near East shown by the Bible.

Whether they did what they say they did is another matter, of course.

Reply 14

Person

I vote Jesus because of the profound nature of his words. A true, early revolutionary.

Reply 15

Angel Interceptor

ferrus

Whoops, I only meant to say whether Jesus existed. I forgot that Mohammed had a grave. Anyhows, yeah, you're right in some respects, especially in your final point, but as you say, that's a different matter.

Reply 16

Ferrus

Although in some sense whether they did or not is irrelevant to their impact, because many obviously are of the belief they did.

I'd have to say in the political sphere there have been giants: Julius Caesar, Augustus Cesar, Constantine, Attila the Hun, Charlemagne, Justinian, Caliph Omar, Genghis Khan, Charles V, Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin who all shaped the world as it is, yet none can claim dominace of effect over the other.

Reply 17

Angel Interceptor

Going completely off topic, but one of my best friends is a direct blood descendant of Attila the Hun.

Reply 18

an Siarach

The first 3 are far and away the most important on that list. Take Jesus or Muhammad out of history and the world would be unrecognisable. Take Gandhi or Bismarck out of history and the modern day would be quite different but in no way have they had comparable impacts to either 'prophet'.