Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 26/06/2007 23:31:49
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If you could invite 3 people from any era, who would they be & why?
Mine would be:-
Da Vinci - it would be fascinating to talk to someone with that level of genius.
Plato - so he could explain in simple terms what he was on about.
I'm a bit stuck for my 3rd. It would be either Peter Ustinov or Steven Fry as their intelligence, wit and anecdotes would ensure good humour.
(I'm assuming that Da Vinci & Plato could learn English very quickly!)
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Edgar Cayce, because he was facinating.
Jesus, well because Edward and Jesus would have a lot to talk about,and would keep each other company and be entertaining during the awkward parts of conversation with my Dad! LOL I think the two would make quite the pair!
My real father..Because I never knew him and would love an opportunity to speak to him and know him
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Very difficult to answer, not least of which is because one can well imagine that most of the people whom one might think to have given us the greatest legacy might well turn out to be pompous or total bores in real life.
Peter Ustinov has always seemed like a wonderful and entertaining personality, so I could go with that - but I would not agree about Steven fry, I would think he is too insecure to really give of himself.
One controversial answer would be that most people who met Adolf Hitler (at least in the years before the war) thought him to be a charismatic and charming person - it does not mean one has to agree with everything he believes in or stands for.
Both Einstien and Feynman seemed to have been interesting people (I'm not just talking about their intellect, but their ability to communicate as people).
Going back in history, it is far more difficult. Aside from the fact that one can so little judge the real characters of the people, but there would also be serious communication gaps. I don't mean simply that the language would not be modern English, but that even their terms of reference would be so different to ours - the cultural assumptions inherent in their language would be different.
Ignoring all those differences, then maybe someone like Francis Bacon, or Thomas Harriot, or Michel de Montaigne.
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Anne Frank - I'd really like to know she felt when she had to hide from those enemies and what would she have done if she knew she would be free 2 months after her death.
Hitler - yeah, what's the reason of his hatred for jews... makes no sense.. and when he finishes his speech about how jews are worthless, i'm going to punch him good.. i hate racism. .
and for the third one, i think i'm going to want to see mother theresa. lol... i want to know why she did such charity work and if it was satisfying, was it her goal to become so famous and if she didn't get all this glory, would she have continued her work?
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Da Vinci - it would be fascinating to talk to someone with that level of genius.
You mean you don't get that here? [;)]
Douglas Adams - Just a great guy. I think he'd be very avuncular, sincere, knowledgeable and just great to chat with.
Terry Pratchet - The nerds nerd. Also a great imagination and dry wit.
Brian May - What was that bird from eastenders all about? Anyway, he's lived a life and is still able to remember much of it, as well as having a powerful intellect.
I also think that the commonalities within the group would work too.
Somewhat contemporary I know, but why not. It reminds me a little of "Better then Life" in Red Dwarf......I think Rimmer has god and Norman Wisdom.
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Who are those three people?
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Find it difficult to understand what you mean by she would be "free 2 months after her death"? One way or another, Anne Frank was simply another teenage girl who happened to find herself in extraordinary circumstances - I suppose as a person, she would have been very ordinary for a girl of her age.
Some of the stories I have heard about Mother Theresa make her sound totally insufferable.
Hitler's antipathy towards the Jews seems to have been quite complex, and it is not at all sure that he had any personal antipathy towards individual Jews, so much as an antipathy towards the Jewish race in abstract. My own suspicion is that this was probably linked to events in the aftermath in WWI, particularly the government of Károlyi Mihály (and the contemt shown to that government by Marshal Franchet d'Esperey, possibly due to anti-semitism on the part of Marshal Franchet d'Esperey, who was the French general who was negotiating with Hungary over peace terms at the end of WWI), and then having weakened that government and forcing it into the arms of the communist Russian government, the communist uprising of Kun Béla in 1919. All of this could have been seen as a stab in the back for the Austrians after the end of WWI. Kun subsequently became involved in the German communist uprising of 1921 (after fleeing Hungary).
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Some of the stories I have heard about Mother Theresa make her sound totally insufferable.
I suspect Christopher Hitchins would agree....
Who are those three people?
Who, me?
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yeah you! Hey THanks for explanation! LOL
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Da Vinci - it would be fascinating to talk to someone with that level of genius.
You mean you don't get that here? [;)]
Douglas Adams - Just a great guy. I think he'd be very avuncular, sincere, knowledgeable and just great to chat with.
Terry Pratchet - The nerds nerd. Also a great imagination and dry wit.
Brian May - What was that bird from eastenders all about? Anyway, he's lived a life and is still able to remember much of it, as well as having a powerful intellect.
I also think that the commonalities within the group would work too.
Somewhat contemporary I know, but why not. It reminds me a little of "Better then Life" in Red Dwarf......I think Rimmer has god and Norman Wisdom.
I have never seen that!
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I was only thinking of this the other night, If it was people that are still alive, i would definately have Stephen Fry, Iaan Hislop and possibly the iron Lady.
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For Karen...
Douglas Adams Author of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Just a great guy. I think he'd be very avuncular, sincere, knowledgeable and just great to chat with.
Terry Pratchet Author of Discworld novels- The nerds nerd. Also a great imagination and dry wit.
Brian May guitarist with Queen- What was that bird from eastenders all about? Anyway, he's lived a life and is still able to remember much of it, as well as having a powerful intellect.
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I knew I had heard of Brian May that's why! I liked QUEEN.. Thanks Stuart!
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I can't remember where I saw it, but the name Anne Frank brought back the memory.
March 2nd - Hid
March 3rd - Hid
March 4th - Hid...
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March 2nd - Hid
March 3rd - Hid
March 4th - Hid...
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Flol%2F4.gif&hash=dc0017defb1737ae43c0ff6efcb35b2a)
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Well the first would have to be Martin Luther King Jr.........what a man [:)]
Second would be Socrates, I love philosophy, so why not start there [;)]
Finally I would want my granddad. I never really knew him as he died when I was younger. Would just like the chance to meet him and find out what he was like [:)]
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ok, i'd like to have my grandpa because i miss him, marie antionette (i want to hear her side of the story), and... hmmm... i guess i only want two people. oh what the heck... mother theresa
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oh what the heck... mother theresa
yes and then ask her why she had "homes for the dying" and not hospitals with all the wealth and monies she received.
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i just didn't want to say that one because it sounded a bit cliche...
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marie antionette (i want to hear her side of the story)
You mean before of after she was executed?
Not sure what you mean by 'her side of the story' - the only thing she was really guilty of was being queen during a revolution - a risk that comes with the job as a monarch (at least at the time when monarchy carried any real power). The Hapsburgs particularly, after centuries of good fortune, were having a run of bad luck in that department (Maria Antoinette, although married to a Bourbon, was a Hapsburg by birth). Later, Maximilian of Mexico was another Hapsburg that will meet a similar fate, as was his nephew, Archduke Ferdinand, and his sister-in-law Elisabeth.
Both Ferdinand and Maximilian seem to have been more interesting Hapsburgs, although both maybe too idealist and naive (Maximilian was partly persuaded against his better judgement to take on the role of last emperor of Mexico, and maybe even conned a little into the role - a role that would cost him his life).
Marie Antoinette's mother, Maria Theresa, was probably a more interesting (certainly more clever) Hapsburg.
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Maybe something of Marie Antoinette's story that might show something of what her life was really like:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette
On April 19, 1770, a marriage per procurationem, or a marriage to her brother Ferdinand, in place of Louis Auguste, took place in Vienna's Augustine Church. They did this because Marie Antoinette would have entered France as the Archduchess of Austria until she married Louis and the French would not allow it. By this "marriage" taking place, she could enter the French court as the Dauphine, and then be officially married to Louis Auguste. Two days later, a sobbing Marie Antoinette left Vienna to her mother's parting words, "Farewell, my dearest. Do so much good to the French people that they can say that I have sent them an angel." [3] Traveling along the Danube River and accompanied by a large entourage of nearly 14 carriages, they passed through Munich, Augsburg, Günzburg, Ulm and Freiburg im Breisgau, before finally reaching the Rhine border between Kehl and Strasbourg weeks later.
On May 7, as a symbolic act of loyalty, Marie Antoinette was required to leave her Austrian attire, possessions, servants, and friends behind. After lengthy negotiations, she was allowed to keep her dog, a Shih Tzu named Schnitzy. The 14-year old was stripped of her nationality and her clothes before the entire Austrian delegation that was present, causing her to break down and cry. She was dressed up in French clothing and was taken to Strasbourg for a Thanksgiving Mass, in her honor. The entire city was illuminated in anticipation of her arrival and the streets were covered in flowers. A few days later, she continued her journey to Versailles.
Marie Antoinette was conveyed to the royal palace at Versailles, where she met her future grandfather-in-law, Louis XV, and other members of the royal family. Her future husband, the Dauphin Louis-Auguste, was very shy and plump. Only one year her senior, he had not had any previous sexual or romantic experience to prepare him for dealing with his fiancée.[4] Their marriage was nevertheless conducted within hours of Marie Antoinette's arrival at Versailles. The Wedding Mass was lavishly celebrated in the Chapelle Royale on May 16, 1770. Just before the wedding, Marie Antoinette was presented with the magnificent jewels traditionally belonging to a French dauphine. The collection included an elaborate diamond necklace which had belonged to Anne of Austria and pieces which had also belonged to Mary Queen of Scots and Catherine de Medici. The large collection of gems was valued at approximately 2 million livres. Marie Antoinette also received a personal wedding gift from King Louis, a diamond-encrusted fan. The Dauphin and Marie Antoinette were married in front of the court, with the bride wearing a dress decorated by large white hoops covered in diamonds and pearls. The ceremony was followed by a formal dinner during which it is said that Louis-Auguste ate an enormous amount. When the king told him to eat less, the Dauphin replied "Why? I always sleep better when I have a full stomach!" They had an audience at this dinner of over 1,000 French citizens eager to see their new Dauphine. Marie ate almost nothing.
The court then conducted the young couple to their bed, which had been blessed by the Archbishop of Reims. However, the marriage was not consummated and would not be for several years.
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There are some interesting choices here.
I've met Terry Pratchett and he is indeed very good company & totally off his trolley. However, it is a very rich trolley so he can bring the booze!
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Three people for dinner....
ERR... It would have to be:
Stanley Kubric
Henry Miller
and kermit the frog,
I would need more seats and a bigger table, if you could envite anyone why stop at three?
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Kermit.. Theres a good one!!
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M. Ghandi
Winston Churchill
Doctor Beaver
(Not everyone need be smart [:o)] )
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LOL LOL LOL.. Hi Jimbob!
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Someone who could cook.
Someone who could do the washing-up.
Someone who could pour me a drink whilst the other two were busy....
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hi..ME TOO!!!! LOL
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M. Ghandi
Winston Churchill
Doctor Beaver
(Not everyone need be smart [:o)] )
I agree ghandi would rock!
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If you could invite 3 people from any era, who would they be & why?
Mine would be:-
Da Vinci - it would be fascinating to talk to someone with that level of genius.
Plato - so he could explain in simple terms what he was on about.
I'm a bit stuck for my 3rd. It would be either Peter Ustinov or Steven Fry as their intelligence, wit and anecdotes would ensure good humour.
(I'm assuming that Da Vinci & Plato could learn English very quickly!)
I think all the guests should also be able to talk to each other and not just the host.