Brave Ordinary People Who Changed the World

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the theme of "brave ordinary people who changed the world," exploring various individuals who have inspired participants through their actions, beliefs, or contributions. The scope includes historical figures, personal heroes, and contemporary examples, with a mix of admiration and critique regarding their impact and significance.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Participants mention a variety of individuals they consider brave or heroic, including Tank Man, Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and Dorothy Counts.
  • Some participants propose Muhammad Yunus and the Tuskegee Airmen as examples of impactful figures.
  • There are mentions of personal heroes, such as family members and teachers, with one participant highlighting the contributions of nuns as unsung heroes.
  • Discussion includes differing views on what constitutes a hero, with one participant arguing that significant risk or hardship is necessary for someone to be considered a hero, while others include artists and musicians in their lists.
  • Some participants express admiration for historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Tesla, while others focus on contemporary figures like astronauts.
  • There are critiques of certain figures, such as Kurt Cobain and John Lennon, with questions raised about their legacies and what they stood for.
  • One participant reflects on the societal implications of the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute, sharing personal experiences related to race and identity.
  • Discussions also touch on the influence of musicians like Jaco Pastorius, with some emphasizing his importance in music history.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on who qualifies as a hero, with no clear consensus on the criteria for heroism. Some agree on specific individuals, while others challenge the inclusion of certain figures based on their definitions of bravery and impact.

Contextual Notes

There are varying interpretations of heroism and bravery, with some participants emphasizing personal sacrifice while others focus on broader societal contributions. The discussion reflects diverse perspectives influenced by personal experiences and cultural contexts.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in discussions about heroism, historical figures, and personal inspiration may find this thread engaging.

rootX
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Mine are (brave ordinary people who changed the world):

Tank Man


Nelson Mandela
Gandhi

Dorothy Counts (I don't know much about her)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7DUuAYK1RM&feature=related

I am missing lot of them because I don't know about others :cry:
 
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Science news on Phys.org
Muhammad Yunus.
 
Killdozer.

24n77GgRtrw[/youtube] This is the backstory: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Heemeyer
 
jaco pastorius
 
Yeah, who doesn't love alcoholics who get killed while drunk?
 
Tuskegee Airmen

Firefighters
 
grant9076 said:
Tuskegee Airmen

Firefighters

That's a good list :approve:
 
My Heroes...

My teachers, who were all nuns: The Sisters of Saint Francis of the Martyr Saint George...http://www.altonfranciscans.org/
--they save they world every day, for no reward, and for no recognition.


Famous/historical persons...

Hans Christian Ørsted
Horace Mann
Eleanor Roosevelt
Edwin Howard Armstrong
Philo Farnsworth
Jimmy Stewart
Brian Greene
Vance Degeneres
 
Kurt Cobain
John Lennon as personal heroes for their beliefs and what they stood for, which I connect with.

Family members
Other people that don't come to mind.
 
  • #10
binzing said:
Kurt Cobain
John Lennon as personal heroes for their beliefs and what they stood for, which I connect with.

Family members
Other people that don't come to mind.

What did Kurt Cobain stand for?
 
  • #11
I'll add to my list, Astronauts because they risk their lives for the name of furthering science and knowledge.

I don't define one as a hero unless there is significant risk or hardship (socially) to what they do. So, celebs and musicians are not heros because they are good at playing music or acting.
 
  • #12
Cyrus said:
I'll add to my list, Astronauts because they risk their lives for the name of furthering science and knowledge.

I don't define one as a hero unless there is significant risk or hardship (socially) to what they do. So, celebs and musicians are not heros because they are good at playing music or acting.

Yep, I agree.

But, people who stand against unfair alone themselves without any support are my true heroes!
That's why tank man is my favorite (also that black girl - she was just 15!) :approve:
 
  • #13
I don't really have heroes, but I have people who inspire me and whom I deeply admire. I guess that's a hero?

- My Parents. Because they're my parents :biggrin:. And because I've seen them work their a**es off to get everything they have, and never expect to be handed anything from others.

- Lewis Carroll. He's my favorite artist. He was postmodern before there was modernism.

- Leonardo Da Vinci. An incredible man. He was brilliant at so many areas of art and science, it's amazing. Some would say that this was also his flaw: he left many of his works unfinished (in fact, he carried somewhat of a hire-at-your-own-risk reputation: you never knew if he would finish the job you hired him for) and would just jump from one idea to another, never quite perfecting any (unlike Michelangelo, who could obsess for years or even decades, full time, to perfect a single piece of work).— I mean, the guy began designing a helicopter in the 1400's! ... maybe a human lifespan was just not long enough for him to accomplish all of what he had in his mind.

- Socrates. "Free meals for life!"

I can't think of other people whom I always keep in mind like that. They always inspire and affect me.
 
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  • #14
My favourite authors and artists are my heroes.

Historically I would say Tesla and William Stephenson.
 
  • #15
bassplayer142 said:
jaco pastorius
Never mind stupid statements, anybody who understand anything in bass history knows that Jaco was so important that He can be called by his first name only. His influence on music in general was fundamental, no matter whether you like what he did later on or if some people can be judgmental about a period of time they don't even know. Listen to any jingle on television, on radio, all over the place, he created the basis for the use of bass we have today.
 
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  • #16
WarPhalange said:
Yeah, who doesn't love alcoholics who get killed while drunk?
My grand grand father was carrying an axe, and being drunk while trying to reach home for family lunch on sunday morning after the office. He tripped and killed himself. Quite remarkable. He was remembered as somebody who everybody loved. He was exceptionally kind and achieved many things during his lifetime. What did you achieve apart from displaying short-thought judgments ?
 
  • #17
humanino said:
My grand grand father was carrying an axe, and being drunk while trying to reach home for family lunch on sunday morning after the office. He tripped and killed himself. Quite remarkable. He was remembered as somebody who everybody loved. He was exceptionally kind and achieved many things during his lifetime. What did you achieve apart from displaying short-thought judgments ?

Not killing myself with an axe.
 
  • #18
Sorry humanino, you walked into that one. </pun>
 
  • #19
My family! :biggrin:
 
  • #20
RootX,
definitely Dorothy Counts, from your link

Y7DUuAYK1RM[/youtube] Isn't that... something very seriously wrong with mankind.
 
  • #21
FrancisZ said:
My Heroes...

My teachers, who were all nuns: The Sisters of Saint Francis of the Martyr Saint George...http://www.altonfranciscans.org/
--they save they world every day, for no reward, and for no recognition.

do you know how much recognition they ask for? Nun
 
  • #22
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  • #23
tribdog said:
do you know how much recognition they ask for? Nun

Hardy, har har, har har. :)
 
  • #24
Anyone who sacrifices their lives or well being for the benefit of others.
 
  • #25
Topher925 said:
Anyone who sacrifices their lives or well being for the benefit of others.

What if they just inconvenience themselves for the benefit of others?
 
  • #27
humanino said:
Never mind stupid statements, anybody who understand anything in bass history knows that Jaco was so important that He can be called by his first name only. His influence on music in general was fundamental, no matter whether you like what he did later on or if some people can be judgmental about a period of time they don't even know. Listen to any jingle on television, on radio, all over the place, he created the basis for the use of bass we have today.

I admire the fact that someone else here knows of Jaco. He was one and only and needs only be referred to by his first name. His music is crafted from stuff which I or most could never touch.
 
  • #28
rootX said:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7674157.stm

I saw that picture many times but never knew its story ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute
Truly Amazing! :approve:
I vividly remember that event. A lot of white adults were pretty upset. I thought it was great!

At the time, I had been living in the US less than 2 years, and the segregation and racism had become pretty obvious - but I didn't fully understand it. My friends in grade school were white, black and hispanic, but I didn't think in the those terms. I had learned the term negro, but in my normal everyday experience with my classmates, it wasn't a term I used. I was becoming aware of the Civil Rights movement, and I thought it was primarily a problem with adults, who just didn't get it.

In junior high school, I was reprimanded by some african-american peers who informed me that they preferred 'black' to 'negro', which was a term used by 'white' people to put down blacks. That was early in the 'black power', 'black pride' movement.
 
  • #29
Once I spent three nights in jail. While I was there a white guy stole something from a black guy. I stuck up for the black guy and because I did I got what they call a "chin check" for going against my race. Does that make me a hero?
 
  • #30
My parents for loving me even when I treated them like crap and supporting me even when my decisions were stupid, then helping me to get my sorry self out of the mess I had made while forcing me to learn from my mistakes. My mom especially for sitting with me all those nights when my horse was sick and I couldn't leave her. Hay bales do not make a comfortable bed, and I never asked her to stay she just knew I needed her.

My coach who always said,
"no such word as cant, that's an excuse not a reason"
"if you have a problem its your responsibility, don't go around blaming your horse (or other people) the problem is yours you deal with it"
 

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