in 1000 years when they look back on the ruins of the USA

hsmith · 07-12-2007, 12:58 PM

What will be discussed?

Truman in my mind will dwarf all others in any way due to the atomic bomb, hands down.

presidents of the world wars will be of some importance, but not much

bush, clinton, others will be only footnotes

Publius · 07-12-2007, 01:03 PM

I think we'll have a few standout presidents remembered (probably fairly inaccurately), in much the same way the consuls/emperors are remember from ancient Rome.

Washington, Lincoln, Truman... Those are probably the three that have served thusfar that will be remembered by the general public, at least by name (kind of like how we remember Caesar, Augustine, and Nero by name, but the general populous doesn't really know much about them except basic generalizations).

WickedLou9 · 07-12-2007, 01:04 PM

I hope that they look more at famous americans as well, like the great minds of our times, Henry Ford, Oppenheimer, etc. Perhaps the invention of the internet. That sort of stuff. The way we look back at Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, DaVinci, etc.

Linzyhop · 07-12-2007, 01:06 PM

dude. don't forget Paris Hilton.

Stylerod · 07-12-2007, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

dude. don't forget Paris Hilton.

Stylerod · 07-12-2007, 01:10 PM

I'm guessing people like Washington, Ford, Edison, and Franklin will always be remembered. I don't think Truman would make the list actually.

Linzyhop · 07-12-2007, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I'm guessing people like Washington, Ford, Edison, and Franklin will always be remembered. I don't think Truman would make the list actually.

honestly, i didn't even think about Truman. Washington, Lincoln, Edison, Franklin come to mind... even Roosevelt. maybe JFK.

Bush could be in there too, negatively, depending how much deeper we get.

Publius · 07-12-2007, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

honestly, i didn't even think about Truman. Washington, Lincoln, Edison, Franklin come to mind... even Roosevelt. maybe JFK.

Bush could be in there too, negatively, depending how much deeper we get.

i think JFK will be remembered only as a footnote to the first manned mission to the Moon, something along the lines of it being a JFK speech/decision early in the 1960s to ignite the drive for a mission to the moon...

I don't think he'll be remembered for his assassination. Most people in the general public don't even remember Presidents Garfield and McKinley, let alone that they were both assassinated. And they were both within the last 130 years

Rouger2 · 07-12-2007, 01:23 PM

I know the conservatives try to down play what he did but Franklin Roosevelt stands with Lincoln and Washington as one of the greatest presidents. I am sure as a country we will be compared to the great societies of all time. Like the Greek, Roman and British in there hey day. I just hope we are not on our decline and have many more great things to do. We don't control a bunch of territory but our influence is world wide. As an example I think that Michael Jackson is probably the most known person in the world. That is probably not a good thing but I believe true, and world war two will always be remembered.

Publius · 07-12-2007, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Rouger2

I know the conservatives try to down play what he did but Franklin Roosevelt stands with Lincoln and Washington as one of the greatest presidents. I am sure as a country we will be compared to the great societies of all time. Like the Greek, Roman and British in the hey day. I just hope we are not on our decline and have many more great things to do. We don't control a bunch of territory but our influence is world wide. As an example I think that Michael Jackson is probably the most known person in the world. That is probably not a good thing but I believe true, and world war two will always be remembered.

i think FDR will probably be remembered only as "U.S. President during the Second World War (1939-1945), died prior to the war's end", if at all. Economic problems like The Great Depression probably won't get much note in a thousand years, just like we really couldn't give a rats ass about, for example, the economic specifics of the Byzantine Empire in 1000 CE.

There for whether we agree or disagree with what FDR did economically is going to be moot, because it just won't be interesting history.

thomez · 07-12-2007, 01:27 PM

history of the Revolution from John Adams:

"The history of our Revolution will be one continued lie from one end to the other. The essence of the whole will be that Dr. Franklin's electrical rod smote the earth and out sprang General Washington. That Franklin electrified him with his rod, and thence forward these two conducted all the policy, negotiations, legislatures, and war."

he was basically right, nobody will remember anyone else except maybe Jefferson

Publius · 07-12-2007, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

history of the Revolution from John Adams:

"The history of our Revolution will be one continued lie from one end to the other. The essence of the whole will be that Dr. Franklin's electrical rod smote the earth and out sprang General Washington. That Franklin electrified him with his rod, and thence forward these two conducted all the policy, negotiations, legislatures, and war."

he was basically right, nobody will remember anyone else except maybe Jefferson

I love John Adams ... such a curmudgeon.

thomez · 07-12-2007, 01:38 PM

short list of memorable people

Washington
Franklin
Edison
Henry Ford
Martin Luther King
Wright Brothers

WickedLou9 · 07-12-2007, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

short list of memorable people

Washington
Franklin
Edison
Henry Ford
Martin Luther King
Wright Brothers

You don't think that Oppenheimer belongs in there? There are a few things in the world that have had more influence than atomic power and the atomic bomb. For better or worse, our world has completely changed because of those two things. We actually came a hairs width away from destroying the earth because of atomic power.

Linzyhop · 07-12-2007, 02:04 PM

didn't something come up showing henry ford helped the Nazis during WWII?

thomez · 07-12-2007, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

You don't think that Oppenheimer belongs in there? There are a few things in the world that have had more influence than atomic power and the atomic bomb. For better or worse, our world has completely changed because of those two things. We actually came a hairs width away from destroying the earth because of atomic power.

just because he belongs doesn't mean that he will be remembered

trust me, most people today don't even know who he is

Linzyhop · 07-12-2007, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

You don't think that Oppenheimer belongs in there? There are a few things in the world that have had more influence than atomic power and the atomic bomb. For better or worse, our world has completely changed because of those two things. We actually came a hairs width away from destroying the earth because of atomic power.

he should "belong" in there, but he won't. hate to say it, but the average american wouldn't know who he is. I could take a poll of the assistants where i work and I would think MAYBE 40% would know who he is....

WickedLou9 · 07-12-2007, 02:10 PM

Yeah I guess that is sadly true. I bet alot of americans think that Henry Ford is famous because he invested the car or something, rather than his invention of the modern assembly line.

Linzyhop · 07-12-2007, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Yeah I guess that is sadly true. I bet alot of americans think that Henry Ford is famous because he invested the car or something, rather than his invention of the modern assembly line.

right. exactly. i would think alexander graham bell should be in there too. probably not.

thomez · 07-12-2007, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

right. exactly. i would think alexander graham bell should be in there too. probably not.

I thought about that, but then deleted it.

In 1000 years the phone that he invented will be so obsolete they won't care anymore.