Who is the most influential person to have walked this earth??

[Paoli]

It is the Members and Guests Lounge, and since I've been here, there has been a rapid increase in the amount of people talking non-cricket related topics.

So here goes...Who do you think the most influential person to have walked this earth is, in any field.

[Kirsty Harris]

Hum, an interesting idea, but I can't really select one of the names listed!

All of the names listed are relativley recent when you consider how long mankind has been on the planet - I mean what about the likes of Ceaser, Elizabeth I, Richard the Lionheart...the list could go on and on.

I personally, think that the most important people in influncing the progress of mankind would perhaps be names less well known, people who may not have gotten the fame, but did the work that got things changed. I couldn't just pick one person!

[Paoli]

Recent as you say Kirst...If you wanna vote for someone else, just put other.

[Milo]

Probably someone religious.

[Occasional Fan]

That is probably right, Milo. I sometimes ask myself who is the most influential person of my lifetime, narrowing it down somewhat to the question of actually having had an influence on me and barring the obvious candidates (parents). Usual conclusion is that it is a three way tie between Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, all of whom take a lot of credit for opening up to me a large part of the world which, for my first 28 years, was all but impossible to consider living in (other than through the Kim Philby method). Given that my most important friends are in the Czech Republic these days, and I would have met none of them without the efforts of those three people, I have just come to the same conclusion again.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

In this century, it has to be Hitler. He started a chain of events that changed the world on a massive scale. Lets say someone boshed him over the head while has inside writing Mein Kapf so we wouildnt have had world war two and the hundreds of developements that came out it, good and bad. Admittedly if Hitler didnt do it, arguably Stalin wmight have done, and the japanese were destroying large bits of china at he same time. (read an article about the Rape of Nanking (sic) - frightening stuff).

I think it depends on where you live as well. Queen Victoria i think should be added to that list.

[Moss]

I voted for Hitler and then worried that people might think it was because I liked what he did!

Same reasons as RBLC - mammoth changes, the impact on history for so many nations.

[Paoli]

I agree that the thread should really have 1000 options...I may just start a split edition depending on how people think...

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by Milo

Probably someone religious.

Definately.

[Teatime FatCat]

Whoever as been the President of the USA at any given time. It's wrong that it should be this way, but it's the truth. They seem to be able to dictate world financial and economical policy, as well as invade countries with impunity.

On a personal level, I'd say Jo Primarolo, a girl from my youth drama group. She gave me my very first 'experience' and that certainly influenced my life at that time!