People Explain Which Modern Figures Will Still Be Remembered In 500 Years

People Explain Which Modern Figures Will Still Be Remembered In 500 Years
Image by un-perfekt from Pixabay

I've always loved history, mostly because I love learning about fascinating people from during periods. I recently had the pleasure of reading The Romanovs and was struck not just by the strength of that familial dynasty, but by the fact that we're still discussing these people 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 years in the future. It's wild, isn't it?

But who today has that kind of staying power? That's what people tried to answer after Redditor Flip-and-sk8- asked the online community,

"Who is someone alive today who will be remembered in 500 years?"

"Buzz Aldrin..."

"Buzz Aldrin is still alive, so I'm going with Buzz! If only for hitting that moon landing denier in the face."

Squaragus_Asparagus

That should do it. If Neil can be remembered, then certainly Buzz, no?

"Surely because now we do..."

"500 years ago we didn't have film. Surely because now we do, many more famous people will be remembered or revered for much longer than people of the past. Cult classics will have to live on, even if it's just to study them. It'll actually be amazing for people to study us and they'll know so much more about how we lived through TV and movies. Life will be so different in 2,500 that it will be fascinating for people to watch back."

rainbowmagiccat

This is an excellent point. What a magnificent archive future archives would have! They'd never be able to get through it all.

"Probably..."

"Probably the first person to set their foot on Mars. This is a milestone from every perspective, and I am pretty sure this person is alive currently."

jucklrochownoy

A fair assumption. They likely are. And the day they take that first step will be the stuff of legend.

"I think it'd be..."

"I think it'd be Gates. He'll be associated with computers just like Gutenberg's press.

Did he invent computers? No. But I think he'll be remembered for it."

carbonmonoxide5

"Even though her impact..."

"Possibly the Queen of England. Longest living/reigning monarch to date. Even though her impact on the world is somewhat minimal, most of the monarchs are remembered."

xamnis

Queen Elizabeth will no doubt be remembered for turning Charles into a horcrux so she can pass the throne on to William.

"And before you ask..."

"Mikhail Gorbachev, for being the last leader of one of the world's strongest empires.

And before you ask, Mikhail Gorbachev is still alive. He is currently 90."

Partydude19

"Andrew Wiles..."

Andrew Wiles for proving Fermat's Last Theorem.

starphysics

"Think of who we still know..."

"Think of who we still know of from 500 years ago... Putin is a big geopolitical player currently, but has he really done anything that will be worth remembering centuries from now?"

cjcs

Hmmm... we might have to give him a poetic (and possibly unflattering) nickname. Best get thinking.

"He's one of the best..."

"John Williams I hope. He's one of the best composers currently alive, and I wish his work will be still celebrated in a few centuries."

Angelfallfirst

"An ascendant China..."

​"Xi Jinping. An ascendant China is going to scramble the world order for centuries. As its leader during the hegemonic shift he'll be remembered."

feltonwilde

Who did people 200 or 300 years ago think would be remembered in the future? And how wrong were they? If only we had the ability to look back on ourselves. We could be totally wrong!

Have some suggestions of your own? Feel free to tell us about them in the comments below!

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Man yawning
Photo by Miikka Luotio on Unsplash

We've all found ourselves annoyed by the ticks or habits of others.

Some of these are fairly common, such as chewing with your mouth open, cracking your knuckles, or whether or not they pronounce the "T" in often.

Some habits are a bit more unusual, though.

Only the people guilty of possessing these habits might not realize that they're unusual until they are told by someone else that practically no one, or literally no one, else does them.

It's an eye-opening, sometimes humiliating discovery.

Keep reading...Show less
group of fresh graduates students throwing their academic hat in the air
Photo by Vasily Koloda on Unsplash

My entire childhood was comprised of watching Hollywood movies about high school.

From High School Musical, I learned that theater is uncool and no jock would be caught dead in a musical. The Breakfast Club made me think Saturday detention wasn't so bad. I learned that teachers can be manipulated from Clueless, and Mean Girls showed me how divided high school kids are based on their cliques.

When I actually started high school, none of those lessons helped me. I knew several jocks who were talented musicians and starred in every musical. I never had Saturday detention, but I heard enough horror stories to know it was awful. Teachers are not fools who bend to a student's will, and cliques are almost a myth. Yes, the cheerleaders hang out with other cheerleaders, but they don't dump food all over the honors kids.

Very few high school movies reflect the actual high school experience. Redditors know this all to well and were ready to share their stories.

Keep reading...Show less
People Describe The Dumbest Things They've Ever Seen Someone Spend Money On
Photo by rupixen.com on Unsplash

I love money.

If I had an endless supply, I might throw it away with abandon.

But I am not blessed with that level of abundance.

Some people really take spending to an extreme.

To a point where maybe others should be in charge of their purse and wallet.

Keep reading...Show less

What is wrong with people?

Have we lost all sense of decorum?

I get that people need to speak their minds, but there are some moments where silence is the better option.

When you're naked and intimate with someone, it's best to not be mean.

I would've thought that would be a given.

Unless they're mean or creepy than do what you must.

But when you're alone in bed with a partner, partners, whatever, can't we put our best foot forward?

Keep reading...Show less