Who will still be famous in 300 years?

Question

OK, we've all heard of people like Mozart, Da Vinci and Newton. Who, of all the people alive today, do you think will still be famous way into the future?

Answer 1

300 years is a long time. 2307. To give it a relationship. 1776 was the US revolution. That is 231 years ago. Think about who is famous in that time? Alot of who will be famous will depend on what countries are still around. If the US still exists, some of the people like Washington and Lincoln will still be famous. I would assume Einstein will still hold that distinction. I think alot of US presidents will disappear from being famous, subjects of Trivia. But you asked about people alive today. So lets look at them. None of the current politicians will be famous. None have demonstrated a particular appeal to the public as a whole. If Hilary Clinton gets elected president she would probably be famous as the first female US president. I don't think the Middle East wars will be more than a footnote in many history books, so people like Obama Bin Laden won't be famous. Music and movie stars will fade away in 300 years also. A few names might be remembered for one reason or another, but I think everything we consider modern will be as old fashioned as the silent film era is to us now. Neil Armstrong is still alive and I would imagine he will be remembers as the first man on the moon. He will probably be eclipsed by many other accomplishments, but first is usually remembered. Bill Gates is not a bad guess, or Steve Jobs for their business accomplishments. Windows and Apple... I suspect something of that might survive, just as Walmart might survive, thus giving immortality to Sam Walton, as we currently know the names of Sears and Roebuck from a century past. But he is already passed away, so doesn't count I suppose.

Answer 2

The one sure-fire bet (assuming that some time in the future that the moon landings aren't revealed as a hoax!) is the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong.

As the father of the computer world, love him or hate him, Bill Gates will probably remain well-known too.

Americans at least will never forget 9/11, so Osama bin Laden will remain quite famous as well in the future, as probably also will George W. Bush due to his relationship with the above and also with Saddam Hussein. The mad and evil such as Hitler and Stalin are usually much better remembered than the good and great, so Bush will be famous by assocation, or should that be infamous.

In the world of literature, the only name that immediately springs to mind is J.K. Rowling, although the Harry Potter books will never be in the same league as William Shakespeare. It is a pretty safe bet that anyone from the 1500s who is still famous now in the 21st century, will still be famous in another 300 years time. People will still probably listen to Beethoven in 300 years time, but will they really listen to the Beatles or Elvis? I'd like to think they would, but who knows? Good question!

Answer 3

In a few years, most of the broadcasting will be done via the internet. That's why movie stars and famous TV personalities will be forgotten in a few decades. Nevertheless, it's all because of YouTube. Today if you want to be a successful singer, you should have myspace and youtube channels and appearing in Oprah is no longer enough to sell millions of records. It doesn't mean TV is the thing of past, because of the HD technology, in the next few years, we will still watch the telly (just think about the quality of youtube videos), but hey, the broadband speeds are also increasing. I remember, a few years ago we had to dial up... so forget the musicians, the TV presenters, movie "stars", pornstars. YouTube started a chain reaction therefore they will not be forgotten in 300 years. But I did not say they will be famous.

Answer 4

That's why movie stars and famous TV personalities will be forgotten in a few decades. Nevertheless, it's all because of YouTube. Today if you want to be a successful singer, you should have myspace and youtube channels and appearing in Oprah is no longer enough to sell millions of records. It doesn't mean TV is the thing of past, because of the HD technology, in the next few years, we will still watch the telly (just think about the quality of youtube videos), but hey, the broadband speeds are also increasing. I remember, a few years ago we had to dial up... so forget the musicians, the TV presenters, movie "stars", pornstars. YouTube started a chain reaction therefore they will not be forgotten in 300 years. But I did not say they will be famous.

Answer 5

The Queen

The likes of Da Vinci and Mozart will be famous until the end of time though. People who invent and create will be famous until the end of time because they change lives or the world.

Answer 6

Nevertheless, it's all because of YouTube. Today if you want to be a successful singer, you should have myspace and youtube channels and appearing in Oprah is no longer enough to sell millions of records. It doesn't mean TV is the thing of past, because of the HD technology, in the next few years, we will still watch the telly (just think about the quality of youtube videos), but hey, the broadband speeds are also increasing. I remember, a few years ago we had to dial up... so forget the musicians, the TV presenters, movie "stars", pornstars. YouTube started a chain reaction therefore they will not be forgotten in 300 years. But I did not say they will be famous.

Answer 7

That is an immposible question to answer because of peoples attitudes are changing constantly. Just look at who are well known at the moment, then think of why they are famous. Now look at what constitutes being famous at this point in time. So who will know what will constitutes as famous in the future.
Celebrity is now dead or soon will be. As the internet and things like Youtube and such like take hold then multinational TV will become less influencing on the general population. The people who influence the information revelution will be the people who shall be remembered in the future.

Answer 8

A lot of famous people from hundreds of years ago, weren't all that famous while they were alive. This applies of course to writers and artists, but also serious academics. Karl Marx wasn't all that famous outside serious thinkers' circles while alive; his political opponent Herbert Spencer was more famous and sold more books within his life. Who's more famous now?

In astrophysics, Professor Stephen Hawking is about as famous as you can get, yet he's not quite at the top of his field and his academic work won't be as famous as some of his contemporaries' work.

If you'll allow me to include people who were alive until relatively recently, I think Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Tiger Woods and the Beatles have a good chance :-)

Answer 9

The answer to this one is obvious JESUS!! He's already notched up in excess of 2000 years of fame and the church still rakes in money off him!!! He truly is a celebrity!
People like Elvis, the Beatles or even Take That are admittedly very famous but has anyone ever made a special trip every sunday to praise their lives?? Of course not!! Jesus and God are the dynamic duo of all time having made more money for the churches than Bill Gates has for himself, Caused more Wars than President Bush and got more people killed than both the world wars. Not only that but Jesus also found cures that the NHS hasn't even started researching yet, Jesus really is the all time great and looks set to remain at the top for many years!!
Apologies to any religious folks who found this offensive, it truly isn't intended to be.

Answer 10

The founders of YouTube. I should tell you why? In a few years, most of the broadcasting will be done via the internet. That's why movie stars and famous TV personalities will be forgotten in a few decades. Nevertheless, it's all because of YouTube. Today if you want to be a successful singer, you should have myspace and youtube channels and appearing in Oprah is no longer enough to sell millions of records. It doesn't mean TV is the thing of past, because of the HD technology, in the next few years, we will still watch the telly (just think about the quality of youtube videos), but hey, the broadband speeds are also increasing. I remember, a few years ago we had to dial up... so forget the musicians, the TV presenters, movie "stars", pornstars. YouTube started a chain reaction therefore they will not be forgotten in 300 years. But I did not say they will be famous.

I'm also thinking about Bell (phone).