# What person alive today, will be remembered 1000 years from now? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 12, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402 "2011-08-12T01:04:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/61 "2011-08-12T04:37:37Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > John Ford isn’t even a household name now! Why do you suppose his films might last a thousand years, but Schindler’s List wont? I’d be surprised if many people who care about film as an art don’t know who John Ford is… I also doubt any directors will be household names in 1000 years, but I suspect that the few film buffs who are still around will talk more about the pioneers than the directors of blockbusters. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/62 "2011-08-12T04:38:16Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Yeah, just like Shakespeare is remembered more than his characters Not unreasonable, put that way. I guess I’ll just say I feel Spielberg’s memorability is not nearly as high as Hitler’s. Indeed, I don’t consider it very high to begin with. I can easily imagine few outside of historical film studies caring about Spielberg in 150 years. Basically, I guess I’m with **Steophan**. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/63 "2011-08-12T04:41:01Z")
I’ve actually asked this identical question on more than one occasion, including I would have said here on the dope, although I couldn’t find it via a search. I agree that Neil Armstrong is the best answer (or perhaps Gagarin, but obviously for basically the same reasons). Bill Gates has an outside chance, but not because Microsoft will still exist and people will remember him for it; but because something might well end up named after him… although not many things-named-after-people have lasted a millenium. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/64 "2011-08-12T04:47:55Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > QE2 Quantitative Easing, round 2? I’d hoped we’d all forget that within a decade or two. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/65 "2011-08-12T05:02:19Z")
Either Obama or Armstrong. Both significant enough to be taught to schoolchildren as long as we still have schools. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/66 "2011-08-12T05:21:57Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > Neil Armstrong is a definite, and possibly the first person to go to mars has already been born (in china). Yes, he’ld definately be remembered, The same with Gagarin, if you count people who died young as alive for purposes of this thread. Ditto for the first person on Mars. > [@](#): > > Obama might be in the running as America’s first black president, president during the great recession, brought health care to the masses, and a nobel peace prize to boot. He’ll be eclipsed by the first non-biracial Black president, and this is assuming people will even be consious of the concept of race in 3011. The healthcare thing was done in Europe decades ago so that’s not special. As for the Nobel prize, though he didn’t do anything to signficantly deserve it, he is far from the most ridicolous laurate, he wasn’t a bloodthirsty warmonger like some of the others. > [@](#): > > Hu Jin Tao or his successor could gain some notoriety as the one who rose China from the ashes. Chairman Deng will be remembered as the starter of the reforms. I’m not sure the average American can remember Hu’s predecesor even today. > [@](#): > > as far as science goes? watson of watson & crick is still alive, hawking is alive, and dawkins is still alive. Watson? maybe, but he won’t be a household name. Would Walt Disney count? By some definitions, he’s not dead, and he certainly has done a lot for film and animation. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/67 "2011-08-12T05:25:08Z")
“Watson” of “Watson and Crick” sounds plausible. By 3011, we’ll have our current racial problems sorted out, so Obama or even Mandela won’t be that big. We shouldn’t count out longshots of foreign lands for reasons we’d consider baffling like [Anno Hideaki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideaki_Anno). I’ll plonk for animal rights activist and philosopher [Peter Singer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer). Neil Armstrong is probably the best choice, since lunar inhabitants will want to remember who first set foot on their home: he’ll have statues dedicated to him. **Indistinguishable** of course will be remembered for his legendary posts. 😃 In 1011, I can ID Lief Erikson and MacBeth. I’ve never heard of Avicenna, King Cnut or Edward the Confessor. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/68 "2011-08-12T05:29:07Z")
Without a doubt. We just don’t know their name yet. That sounds like a kinda lame dodge but I absolutely think it’s true. Basically what I’m saying is—someone alive today (perhaps an infant or other young person) will make history in an unprecedented, monumental way that will be so important and/or so memorable that almost everyone in 3011 will have heard of him or her. It’s really just a matter of statistics. You could look at it like this: Will something occur in the next 80-100 years (a lifetime) that will eclipse anything we could name that has occurred in the last 80-100 years? I believe the answer to that is clearly ‘yes’. All that’s left to consider is: will a person’s name be linked closely enough with the ‘event’ that it will be as memorable as the ‘event’ itself. I think the answer to that is ‘yes’ as well. I think that some names already put forward (especially Neil Armstrong) are likely enough candidates, so given my assumption that something far more memorable than the first moon landing will happen in the next 100 years I conclude that: **A)** Someone alive today will be remembered in 1000 years. **B)** We might not have any idea yet which person that is. ---
**Author:** ![Blackhawk441](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Blackhawk441](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackhawk441)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/69 "2011-08-12T05:38:35Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > It’s possible the Beatles will be remembered in a thousand years, but I would certainly not count on it. [Obligatory CollegeHumor video.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z2vU8M6CYI) And quite relevant 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/70 "2011-08-12T06:35:48Z")
isaac asimov. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/71 "2011-08-12T06:57:48Z")
As long as information is not lost, a lot of people will be remembered… ? I don’t think remembered is a good term but I understand what the OP means… If basketball is still around (it will be), then Michael Jordan… Anyone with a statue? ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/72 "2011-08-12T07:38:13Z")
Let’s not forget, people can be remembered for the wrong reasons. If I take a time machine to 3011, maybe I’ll be able to see a statue of internet inventor Albert Arnold Gore ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/73 "2011-08-12T07:44:13Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Let’s not forget, people can be remembered for the wrong reasons. > > If I take a time machine to 3011, maybe I’ll be able to see a statue of internet inventor Albert Arnold Gore Caption: “Took the initiative in creating the internet, during his service in the United State Congress, along with a whole range of initiatives that proved important to the US’s economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in the educational system”. I trust it will be a wildly popular tourist attraction in 3011. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/74 "2011-08-12T07:50:41Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > I don’t see any religions with a central figure alive today making any waves, but I don’t know if that’s an indicator that some small cult leader won’t gain interest posthumously. . Depending on how well Falun Gong thrives after he dies, its founder Li Hongzhi may have a chance. I doubt very much Sun Myung Moon will be remembered very long beyond his dead. ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/75 "2011-08-12T07:53:09Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Caption: “Took the initiative in creating the internet, during his service in the United State Congress, along with a whole range of initiatives that proved important to the US’s economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in the educational system”. I trust it will be a wildly popular tourist attraction in 3011. Not really, there’ll be too many angry sore-armed engravers swarming around to be safe to visit Also I think you miss my point ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/76 "2011-08-12T08:58:33Z")
Names of people who were the first to do/invent something, or names of rulers/ societal reformers, will be only remembered by those (forced to) study the subject. People will remember names if they symbolize something we still want to hear or read or see or invoke. That is why we still know the names of medieval/classical writers and philosophers and componists today. We still want to read them and listen to their music. I assume that people a thousand years from now might still like the songs of the Beatles and the Stones. So they will remember the bands names, and perhaps the name of the singers. The songs are so widely known, and so “hummable” and widely repeated that I think [morphogenic fields](http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphic_field#Morphogenetic_field)will keep them alive. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/77 "2011-08-12T09:44:59Z")
Muhammad Ali ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/78 "2011-08-12T09:49:48Z")
> [@Sevastopol](#): > > Muhammad Ali I think the founder of Pakistan is dead ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/79 "2011-08-12T09:57:02Z")
Agree Neil Armstrong is the best candidate. Good call by **pancakes3** on James D. Watson, DNA isn’t going to go out of fashion. [Tim Berners-Lee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners_Lee) also has an outside chance. I hope none of our politicians are remembered. If they are, it’s unlikely to be for a good reason. Expanding it out a bit to people alive in the last hundred years or so, I’d add, in descending order of confidence, Yuri Gagarin, The Wright Brothers, Hitler, and Gandhi. I think 1,000 is much too long to make any meaningful prediction on writers, musicians, film-makers or sportspeople. ---
**Author:** ![Hogfather65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hogfather65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hogfather65)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402/80 "2011-08-12T10:04:37Z")
Looking at some of the past ‘common knowledge’ people it seems there are mainly 3 classes that will put you forward to be remembered. Military success – i.e. William the Conqueror Political success – i.e. Caesar Brutal leadership – i.e. Attila The Hun So who would you say would meet any of these points. Military success – i.e. No idea – could not name any military leader alive at the present Political success – i.e. Margaret Thatcher – but who knows Brutal leadership – i.e. Saddam Hussein (not alive today but the most recent that I can think of) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-person-alive-today-will-be-remembered-1000-years-from-now/592402.md?page=5)