posted
I started thinking about something while I was watching Live 8. I saw bits and pieces of one of those 8 hour blocks a few weekends ago, and there were some really great performances, along with some real crap. But when I was watching some of my favorite old bands, I couldn't help noticing how many former members were missing. I saw McCartney without Lennon, The Who without Moon or Entwistle, and of course Pink Floyd, playing the song they wrote for their departed comrade Syd. I don't remember most of these peoples' deaths, but I have been around for some famous passings. It never really seems like they're gone until several years later. Then I finally realize that their unique vision of the world will never be expressed again.
Anyway, it put me in the mind of a game. If you were granted a wish to restore one person who you did not know personally back to the timeline, have them live out a full natural life, and remove all the implications of their death (i.e. Syd Barrett, who had a great deal of potential, but may have prevented Wish You Were Here or Dark Side of the Moon from being made if he'd survived), who would you pick and why?
The person could be famous in any field... music, movies, politics, literature, theatre, science, etc. But if you knew them personally, they're disqualified.
I have a choice in mind, but I'm not going to put it down just yet. I want to see if anyone can make me change my mind. Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
*claps hands on ears to drown out the dinging*
I'd love to see what would have happened with Julius Caesar. He had a lot of good ideas, and I get the feeling he was just getting started.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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What kind of things do you think Bobby would have done? Not an argument, I could just use the history lesson. Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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Honestly...I'm really not that sure. I get that from a conversation I had with my brother many years ago. He thought that Bobby Kennedy would have been a good president, and that if he had lived, a completely different line of presidents would have been elected after him as well.
I don't actually remember his reasons, but I remember the conversation was compelling enough that he is my choice..
posted
Wow... I just checked with Wikipedia, and apparently you're right. I'm shocked. I was sure that he'd died decades ago. And I thought I heard Roger saying something about his death at the Live 8 show.
I stand corrected.
Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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I did a doubletake, because I though maybe he had died within the last year and I hadn't heard of it.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Not exactly in line... but I wonder what would have happened had Beethoven not gone deaf.... would his 9th symphony (arguably the best piece of music, ever) been even better? or would it never have been written?
I'm gonna go with Socrates, though... there's a lot of knowledge and understanding that developed through his school of thought, and it'd be very interesting to see what would have happened with a few more years under their master.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
I agree on the Bobby Kennedy answer, but getting back to music, and throwing my own out there: Harry Chapin. He made so much great music that means so much to me, and he seemed to really be getting going when he died.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I've got to agree with Icarus. Harry Chapin was a heck of a songwriter. And where would Rock 'n' Roll have gone had Buddy Holly not taken that last flight?
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Chapin's a good choice. So is Hendrix. Look at how much Clapton's skill and artistry matured between the early 70s and now. Then imagine if Hendrix had done the same.
And Janice, just because she's, well, Janice. Oh, that voice.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Oh, and who would I bring back from the dead?
Binyamin Theodore Herzl, founder of the Jewish Congress who layed the founations of the Jewish state yet to come. I just think he deserves to see the results of devoting his life to a dream he did not live to see come true. I also think he'd be quite heplful in the current situation.
Posts: 803 | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Icarus: I can post all my secrets here, and I know that they're safe from Beanny, who, after all, will not read them.
I see you're jelaous. That's completely understandable. After reading the lovely thread dedicated to you without commenting, you deserve a big, fat, fluffy hug from me.
([{([{([{([{Icarus}])}])}])}])
And I'll throw a party for you too! Posts: 803 | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Binyamin Theodore Herzl, founder of the Jewish Congress who layed the founations of the Jewish state yet to come. I just think he deserves to see the results of devoting his life to a dream he did not live to see come true.
That's kind of a recurring motif in Judaism, eh?
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Oh, I wouldn't dare read Dagonee's secrets. Dag is scary. He'll press charges against me and have me locked up with Granny Weatherwax. The only thing I'll be capable of donig is sitting in the corner and trying to think happy thoughts.
Posts: 803 | Registered: Dec 2004
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By the way, I'm sorry you think I'm "bitter" (though I don't know what about). I used plenty of smilies to indicate that I was kidding, but, whatever.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I'd be interested in what a longer life span would have held for MLK. It would be so fascinating to actually be able to compare a timeline where he didn't die with this one. Would you call him a martry? Would he have had a greater or lesser impact if he had lived. Cool thread btw.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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That space was not NEARLY large enough, Beanny. You need to make it much, much bigger, and then hide the name in the middle of a paragraph. If someone didn't want to be spoiled, they would have been anyway. It's unavoidable. Please.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I am deeply sorry for spoiling the book for you. I was sure I did the spoiler sign safe enough, and clearly I haven't. I had no evil intentions, but was definitely quite careless. I apologize.
That post was deleted so no other Hatrackers will have to face your situation. I haven't read SotG yet (no English copies of it where I live), if you seek vengeance I will most agreeingly face the concequences to my blunder.
posted
Music: Harry Nilsson, although Hendrix is a good choice too. John Lennon...
US Historical figures: Lincoln -- a postwar, past president would've been interesting. MLK -- would he have forced race relations to be healthier than they were in his absence? JFK and RFK both would've been good to be a part of.
Other Historical/Artistic Figures: Jesus -- an 80 year old Jesus talking about "in MY day..." Methuselah: C'mon, just a few more years and he'd've made it to quadruple digits. What a gyp!
Personal: My dad. Died at 40. I often wonder what our relationship would be like today. I imagine we'd be great friends making puns constantly and driving my poor mother up the wall. Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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j/k :) No, really, it didn’t surprise me a bit. I’ll still enjoy the book when I get around to reading it. No worries, mate.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Speed: Wow... I just checked with Wikipedia, and apparently you're right. I'm shocked. I was sure that he'd died decades ago. And I thought I heard Roger saying something about his death at the Live 8 show.
I stand corrected.
Maybe you have more power than you knew, and your wish just came true! Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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While I appreciate the 'rolling eyes' which always speak volumes, can you elaborate? Was not aware he was complicit in taking over Latin American countries. I was thinking more along the lines of seeing an effective League of Nations instituted which would have been interesting.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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quote:While I appreciate the 'rolling eyes' which always speak volumes, can you elaborate?
Okay, fair enough. Put simply, if I am not mistaken (and I'm pretty sure I'm not), no US president invaded Latin American countries more than Woodrow Wilson.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I'll second a lot of the world leaders already mentioned and then quickly move on to entertainment:
Douglas Adams, for obvious reasons. Bill Hicks. Hilarious and outspoken comedian. I'd love to hear him rant about the current state of the US, considering all his jokes about the previous president Bush and the previous Iraq war. Hunter S. Thompson. Okay, a lot of people say his suicide was no surprise because he was a drug-crazed madman. He was still a brilliant writer, and he never seemed like a downer, depressive, end-it-all sort of person, so I don't think it's that simple.
In foreign affairs, Wilson was determined to revise the imperialist practices of earlier administrations, promising independence to the Philippines and making Puerto Ricans American citizens. But Wilson's own policies could sometimes be high-handed. His administration intervened militarily more often in Latin America than any of his predecessors.
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