The 20th Century’s greatest Icon?

[piwacket]

A programme tonight on BBC2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0by86tp

Not really sure the purpose of it, other than they’ve got nothing else worthwhile to show - but it’s a good historical review, I suppose, of 100 years history - especially for those who possibly have nostalgic memories, or for those currently in their teens or 20s....
The ultimate aim is for the public to choose a Winner. I don’t really understand how one can do that, with such disparate categories - but there we are....
Anyway tonight Trevor MacDonald, apparently feels ‘iconic’ politicians are the ones who made the greatest impact and offered
Winston Churchill
Theodore Roosevelt
Margaret Thatcher
Nelson Mandela

Future categories will be Scientists- Entertainment -Sportsmen and Exploration (maybe others I didn’t register)

Could you choose an outright winner?

Amusing that a couple of people did say “Well we haven’t any iconic political leaders these days”

[C.A.Versham]

Not sure how best to define an Icon.

If it is 'a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration' it's a hard call. If I knew who they were I would venerate the person who invented meals on wheels whilst I would regard Ken Dodd as a representative symbol of comedic endeavour.

I suspect that this series of programmes will include the normal suspects and overlook many who have made a major contribution to modern life, like the chap who developed DNA profiling.

[piwacket]

Not sure how best to define an Icon.

If it is 'a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration' it's a hard call. If I knew who they were I would venerate the person who invented meals on wheels whilst I would regard Ken Dodd as a representative symbol of comedic endeavour.

I suspect that this series of programmes will include the normal suspects and overlook many who have made a major contribution to modern life, like the chap who developed DNA profiling.

Precisely!
I suspect the DNA people may well be offered (but don’t know). But is that as important as other Scientific achievements- that’s the conundrum

[Lizzy33]

I watched it and found it bias and didn't reveal anything new about the icons. For example, they applauded Churchill as a war hero but forgot to mention he was a sexist, adulterous and a bully. It would have been good if they defined "great". Overall a pointless show imo

[piwacket]

I watched it and found it bias and didn't reveal anything new about the icons. For example, they applauded Churchill as a war hero but forgot to mention he was a sexist, adulterous and a bully. It would have been good if they defined "great". Overall a pointless show imo

Very true
Very much a one-sided opinion of one presenter. TBH they all had good and bad events in their lives - but the errors or mistakes somehow got glossed over - I suppose to be fair it was an 'overall' view as to what effect they'd had at the end of their lives.

[lizwing]

Wasn’t Nelson Mandela a terrorist ? As they say one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.

[piwacket]

Wasn’t Nelson Mandela a terrorist ? As they say one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.

Ha yes Liz - those words were used briefly, then quickly moved on!
Just as Churchill's time in WW1 didn't mention Gallipoli (which was the event that came to my mind) - but did mention the decision to rout the French Fleet during Dunkirk - but countered with 'it was a necessary evil' so-to-speak.

[Voiceoftreason?]

Hhhmn, who would I nominate?

Neil Armstrong - first man on the moon
Dr Christian Barnard - surgeon who performed the first successful heart transplant
Marie and Pierre Curie - awarded the novel prize jointly, for their work with spontaneous radiation
Marie Stopes -the founder of the first birth control clinic in the U.K.
Jacque Cousteau - co-creator of the aqualung

None of these people is a ‘seleb, nor do they sing, dance, or act and they aren’t politicians. They are pioneers, leading us into new places, new discoveries, and at no small personal cost, they gave us freedom and innovation. By their personal endeavour and sacrifice, their work not only forged new frontiers, it paved the way for other discoveries.

For with their ‘one small step’ they led ‘a giant leap for mankind’ (with apologies for my purple prose and paraphrasing a famous saying!)

[piwacket]

Hhhmn, who would I nominate?

What about Fleming (amongst the Scientists) - for Penicillin? Surely a life changing drug?

[Voiceoftreason?]

I agree. I was just putting a few out there that came to mind First Lady Pi.

[Lizzy33]

Gave up watching the latest episode as its clearly not as in depth as I'd like and it would have been good if they defined the criteria.

[piwacket]

Gave up watching the latest episode as its clearly not as in depth as I'd like and it would have been good if they defined the criteria.

... we also found it rather shallow, and not very convincing.

[OLDMAN]

Hhhmn, who would I nominate?

Neil Armstrong - first man on the moon
Dr Christian Barnard - surgeon who performed the first successful heart transplant
Marie and Pierre Curie - awarded the novel prize jointly, for their work with spontaneous radiation
Marie Stopes -the founder of the first birth control clinic in the U.K.
Jacque Cousteau - co-creator of the aqualung

None of these people is a ‘seleb, nor do they sing, dance, or act and they aren’t politicians. They are pioneers, leading us into new places, new discoveries, and at no small personal cost, they gave us freedom and innovation. By their personal endeavour and sacrifice, their work not only forged new frontiers, it paved the way for other discoveries.

For with their ‘one small step’ they led ‘a giant leap for mankind’ (with apologies for my purple prose and paraphrasing a famous saying!)

I would go along with that sort of notion of iconic!

[GaryyHill]

https://www.historyextra.com/magazine/w ... d-history/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLZpTmAtnng

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, leader of the Sikh empire in the early 19th century, topped a poll of the greatest leaders in world history.

[lizwing]

Sorry, I’ve never heard of him.

[MrsKaur]

https://www.historyextra.com/magazine/w ... d-history/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLZpTmAtnng

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, leader of the Sikh empire in the early 19th century, topped a poll of the greatest leaders in world history.

This weekend marked the anniversary of his death:

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comme ... bay-104961

I'm not surprised man people in the UK haven't heard of him but it's a good opportunity to learn about why the British admired/envied him so much. Many schools throughout Asia and some European Countries teach about him

[dave m]

No doubt a worthy individual but 100 years outside the parameter of the question