Space aliens turn up one day on your doorstep with nefarious purpose. They want to test you. They will use their technology to erase an influential human from history (they will be stillborn at birth). They’ll let you choose.
Or, they will let you sacrifice yourself to preserve the lives of these men. They swear on the rings of Saturn to abide by your decision, then leave. Do you erase someone else, or take one for the team?
Most likely I wouldn’t believe them and would slam the door in their faces. If they were able to convince me, though, I’d ask for my paternal grandfather and maternal great-grandfather to be erased. I’d be very happy if this whole wretched branch of my family tree ceased to exist. And then I’d quickly fade away, since nature abhors a paradox.
Sounds like a good day.
If this is fighting the hypothetical too much, then yes erase me please.
Swearing on the rings of Saturn is a solemn oath for them, that they would never break.
Unless your grandfather & great-grandfather were one of the 5 influential men (which would be pretty damn cool) the aliens allow you to choose then you’re outta luck there.
I’d point out that it’s a trick question, since if they erase any of those people from history, then the present will be changed and I’ll be erased anyway. Hopefully they’ll congratulate me on my insight and reward me with a space cookie rather than zapping me for backtalk.
You are taken to an alien zoo where you are mistaken for a second coming of an alien messiah figure, resulting in a resurgence of theism.
Hands up who has mastered intergalactic flight? They won’t allow any harm to come to their favourite puny human, unless you will it. History will change, but you’ll be kept as you are now.
So…Der Trihs is in for death, or a fate worse than death? How awkward.
Bye bye, Darwin.
Which would be a worse fate if I actually liked the aliens in question…as it is, that’s me having the last laugh, in a Twilight Zone sort of way. 
So, how long do I have before the erasing takes place? If I can like my full life before being erased, we won’t have to bother any of those other fine gentlemen…
Either Darwin or Newton’s gotta go. Flip a coin.
Darwin, because we know Wallace was getting there at the same time.
The immediate future. If you dither about, well, aliens aren’t famous for their patience and will erase all six of you, dooming humanity to a new dark age!
You know I initially said erase me, but by the time I had scrolled about three posts down, this had occurred to me. Do aliens take take-backs-sees?