Special people!

[andizuki1982]

For a study I am doing, who would you pick as the most inspirational, special or most important person of the 20th/21st century? I would have to pick Mother Teresa who helped thousands of poor and dying people in Calcutta for nearly 50 years! Helped Chernobyl victims and earthquake victims! And worked tirelessly and effectively.

[jno]

sadly, Hitler was probably the most inspirational and the one who had the most widespread effect. If naming him is too much to stomach, then perhaps Churchill. Albert Einstein changed the way we view the workings of the universe. In the mass media, Charlie Chaplin probably gave the greatest pleasure to the greatest number of people.

[andizuki1982]

Thanks! There does seem to be a lot to choose from, which can only be a good thing as their work has not been forgotten!

[jake-the-peg]

There was a similar question a while ago and I suggested Alexander Flemming's work on anti-biotics may have saved more lives than anyone in history.

It was then pointed out that an Australian called Howard Florey lead the team that actually created this as a drug. I guess this proves that the credit for great Humanitarian work doesn't always go where it's due.

[Lisax]

why dont you do something different and not do your study on a well known figure. do the most insperational person in YOUR life. whether it be your mother or father, maybe a local person in the community... why do people only see the famous as the most insperational etc. there are far more insperational people in my life than the ones who are thrown into the spotlight. its the ones who arent well known and dont get much appreciation that are far more inspiring for me

[woofgang]

I was going to suggest the bloke who invented the internet for most important, but there appear to be loads of them

http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml

[nicola_red]

I think Margaret Thatcher would deserve a mention, although not necessarily for good reasons!  Also maybe Bill Gates.

[Haggisdj]

Sir Alex Ferguson

[Dreddnaught]

I'm afraid I'd have to agree with jno on this and say Hitler.

Without him, there would have been no WW2, which sounds wonderful, but at the same time, we would never be so technically advanced nowadays if it hadn't been for the war development.

There's not a lot around today that can't be attributed to technology or policy developed during the war.

Even citing Churchil at being most inspirational could only be attributed to Hitler.

So there you have it, Hitler, the man who shaped the 20th century.

Kinda makes you think.

[johnlambert]

What about Nelson Mandela?. How many years did he spend locked up?  when he was released did he advocate violence? no, instead he insisted on a peaceful transition of power to the black majority in South Africa thus saving many thousands of lives.

[Dreddnaught]

That hardly qualifies him as the most important person of the 20th century.

While I have a lot of time and respect for Mandela, let's not forget why he was imprisoned in the first place.

But I agree, to spend that amount of time behind bars and come out advocating peace is something special indeed.

But still, he's not the answer.