Some people "contribute" more to the human race as a whole than others. HOWEVER, these people are from all social "ranks", religions or ethnicities. What i am trying to say is: It's not where you were born, how rich you are or what beliefs you have. I am talking about people that live ideals, that hunt after dreams, that inspire people.
My absolute favorite person in history is Leonardo Da Vinci...but he is only one among countless. Wether you look at Gutenberg(printing press), Martin Luther(reformation), Mother Teresa(live by example), Julius Caesar(warlord, but enabled spread of the merits of roman culture throughout a wide area), Ghandi(achieving his goals without violence), the brothers wright(dream of flying), Platon(his "republic" is a worthy read nowadays more than ever!)...
There's people that make us think, that change the course of history, that influence people...not all of them all of us, but it's enough if they inspire SOME. They are the paragons of humanity, in their own specific aspects and niches, that carry our evolution as a society forward.
Self-conservation instincs prevent me from saying i'd willingly die if it means such a person would live, but i would gladly sacrifice several "destabilizing" members of society. People who CHOOSE to live on welfare(because why should they do anything if the state covers for them), criminals taking from others(both physical and mental), extremists of political and religious origin...they are all worth "less" in my eyes, by merit of their ACTIONS, not by who they were born and raised as. If they fail to contemplate who they are and what they do as adult persons, there is no one to blame but them. Doubt and questioning, even of one's owns beliefs, is an integral necessity of maturity, to me. Failing to do so and being blind/oblivious to one's own actions or beliefs is not something that i can find any acceptable excuses for.
Some people "contribute" more to the human race as a whole than others.
HOWEVER, these people are from all social "ranks", religions or ethnicities.
What i am trying to say is: It's not where you were born, how rich you are or what beliefs you have.
I am talking about people that live ideals, that hunt after dreams, that inspire people.
My absolute favorite person in history is Leonardo Da Vinci...but he is only one among countless. Wether you look at Gutenberg(printing press), Martin Luther(reformation), Mother Teresa(live by example), Julius Caesar(warlord, but enabled spread of the merits of roman culture throughout a wide area), Ghandi(achieving his goals without violence), the brothers wright(dream of flying), Platon(his "republic" is a worthy read nowadays more than ever!)...
There's people that make us think, that change the course of history, that influence people...not all of them all of us, but it's enough if they inspire SOME.
They are the paragons of humanity, in their own specific aspects and niches, that carry our evolution as a society forward.
Self-conservation instincs prevent me from saying i'd willingly die if it means such a person would live, but i would gladly sacrifice several "destabilizing" members of society.
People who CHOOSE to live on welfare(because why should they do anything if the state covers for them), criminals taking from others(both physical and mental), extremists of political and religious origin...they are all worth "less" in my eyes, by merit of their ACTIONS, not by who they were born and raised as. If they fail to contemplate who they are and what they do as adult persons, there is no one to blame but them. Doubt and questioning, even of one's owns beliefs, is an integral necessity of maturity, to me. Failing to do so and being blind/oblivious to one's own actions or beliefs is not something that i can find any acceptable excuses for.