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ritzy ritzy
 
M$4 October 19, 2009 08:12 PM

Who today can stand up to scrutiny when judged alongside the "great" names in history?

In response to an existing question you can find here http://www.mahalo.com/answers/history/which-celebrated-historical-figures-would-attract-negative-attention-in-the-21st-century I thought it only fair to pose this question separately, so as not to confuse the issue.
There have been great names in history that would not stand up to modern scrutiny, but "honestly" who today is any better. Name me some, I would love to know who you think is superior in their intent and actions!
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philipy philipy
 
 October 19, 2009 10:01 PM
I think Jeff's intention in his question was not to suggest that historical figures weren't all they're cracked up to be, but show to how standards have shifted, and suggest perhaps it's todays standards that are questionable.

Certainly the subtext of my answer to that question is: "A lot of the people we're dismissive or critical of today deserve a better hearing".

By the same token, I think it'll be hard for any current figures to ever be as lionised as some of the people I mentioned (Newton, Lincoln, Buddha) because their lives are picked over in a way that past generations never had to put up with.

That said, I'm pretty sure that the likes of Nelson Mandela and Stephen Hawking will be remembered as greats, together with many others doing important work whose final accomplishments and legacies we can't be sure of yet.
Asker's Rating:
• You questioned me and I like that, it makes for a debate as opposed to just "questions and answers."

Thanks for the stimulus


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ritzy ritzy
 
October 20, 2009 09:11 AM
I agree and fully understood Jeffs intention, hence my question about how people feel today about todays "leaders" and on what grounds they would be revered. Standards certainly have shifted and instead of opening up a second conversation within the first question, I was interested to see a comparison, without taking away from Jeffs intent.

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couplesthe... couplesthe...
 
October 19, 2009 08:56 PM
Perhaps he isn't quite "today" but in recent history, Mohandas Ghandi would probably stand up to any historic figure in terms of intention and actions. For more information see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi.

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ritzy ritzy
 
October 19, 2009 09:19 PM
True, Ghandi would be one of the few I would like to recognize as a "good" leader of men, and by that I include women too coz I am one. Nice answer, thank you.

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romeo0830 romeo0830
 
October 20, 2009 12:04 AM
How about Obama? continuously scrutinized but always over coming the negative acts.


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philipy philipy
 
October 20, 2009 04:52 PM
It's rather early days to know how history will judge Barack Obama. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan, and if he succeeds in what he's trying to do, he'll certainly deserve to remembered as one the greats.

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silverhamm... silverhamm...
 
October 20, 2009 01:07 AM
George Washington caught pneumonia the last night he went down to the slave quarters to have sex with a slave. That's how he died.

Abraham Lincoln admitted that if he were walking down the street that he fully expected a black man sharing the same sidewalk to cross and pass on the other side of the street.

Ulysses Grant was involved in scandals including stocks, fraud and bribery.

Warren Harding made illegal loans, involved in bribery and gave us the term "teapot dome".

These are all "great names" in US History at least. For all the good they did or may have done, they weren't spotless shiny examples of ethics and morals.

I'd say that people today stand up pretty well even with their indiscretions. It's much harder today to get away with anything, even things that have no effect on policy. Just muck stirred by the opposing party (not even the public cares that much).

Until they find a body in Obama's back yard or they successfully determine that pigmentation and terrorism are one in the same, he's the best example of a public figure that we have in the US today. Level headed, calm and willing to act on many things that everyone else has politically ignored for decades.

Funny all the criticism that guy gets (not unusual for any President), it's hard to pick on him because he DOESN'T have the usual skeletons.

http://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/intel/08/06/11_obama_lg.jpg

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dimitrykap... dimitrykap...
 
October 20, 2009 05:31 AM
Other than a blatant plug for the current President, how does that actually answer the question posted? You know, on who the PAST person who can hold up to current levels of morality or values?

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silverhamm... silverhamm...
 
October 20, 2009 06:03 AM
I don't vote so it's not a plug, it's an observation.

My answer is that hardly anyone can. My examples try to show that. No one is guiltless, but a few aren't public about it. That's how it should be in my opinion. I could care less about a persons private life if their public one is doing the job needed.

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kareul kareul
 
October 20, 2009 01:50 AM
Hillary Clinton does it well. She is superior to most.She stands up to scrutiny well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6KbHp3ROks

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ritzy ritzy
 
October 22, 2009 08:24 AM
I like that video, a woman who speaks for herself and is not willing to just be her husbands representative.

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dimitrykap... dimitrykap...
 
October 20, 2009 05:36 AM
I would say Benjamin Franklin. An inventor, a womanizer, a diplomat, a proud agnostic, but a blatant believer in freedom of thought. With the current mores on affairs he could probably be vilified, but to any great extent as more and more alternative and open relationships are looked upon with less critique than before.

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pats pats
 
October 20, 2009 06:50 PM
How about "The Dalai Lama", though he is #26 in the following list!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567544/Top-100-living-geniuses.html

Look at his quotes:

All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

Source(s):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1567544/Top-100-living-geniuses.html


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ritzy ritzy
 
October 22, 2009 08:23 AM
Ok, Ill definitely go with that one. The moral shift in society is certainly represented by the Dalai Lama.

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