Who was the most OVER-rated figure in history? (Roman, JFK, Russia)

[Grandstander]

If imperfection alone is sufficient for overrating, then all become overrated.

[Consent Withdrawn]

Originally Posted by jerseygal4u

Albert Einstien invented a terrible bomb that could wipe out mankind.

Whoa, Einstein did not invent the bomb.

[marmac]

Ronald Reagan ! ( but not for the reasons already given)

He was a movie actor who conned the American public with his " folksy" role he played.

Proof of this was that many of his policies had low approval,yet many people didn't blame Reagan. They blamed his cabinet who were the ones carrying out his policies.

[Occam's Bikini Wax]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Granted, there are several ways this can be interpreted.

I always thought Marco Polo was overrated. He went to a place that was already known to exist, and didn't really describe his travels all that well, from the useful historical standpoint.

Also, Andrew Jackson, treated as one of our greatest presidents, but was maybe the worst bastard who ever darkened the doors of power.

Jesus.

[soupson1]

I've always believed that perspective was the most important and fundamental principle of understanding history. The old adage that one man's criminal is another man's hero is often very true, depending on which angle you choose to critique a historical event or individual. One person I would consider overrated was Merriwhether Lewis For instance, Lewis would go weeks without writing a single thing down (even though President Jefferson had insisted that he keep a record of every day), while on other occasions he would fill several pages with his ramblings on mundane issues.
By most standards, it appears that Lewis suffered from Bipolar Disorder. At times he was virtually impossible to motivate or talk to Eventually Lewis's mental illness would get the better of him.

[EnochTheSleestak]

Originally Posted by John Walmsley

n Gandhi, I would say he was a remarkable man who came out of relative obscurity to seriously challenge the British empire by peaceful resistance. It's said that, as a young lawyer in South Africa, he was insulted by a racist remark that set him on a path to right the wrongs of racial inequality and colonialism. The fact that he became a symbol of nonviolent resistance and set in motion a movement that freed a subcontinent from colonial rule and established an independent nation of hundreds of millions of people is, in my opinion, quite significant.

Gandhi's one talent was self-promotion. Peaceful resistance is really quite effective when the force it opposes is non-existent. Britain was well on its way out of India before Gandhi stepped in. If anything, one can credit him for stepping in the door before their departure sucked the wind out of the room.

Cultivating fame from obscurity doesn't make one significant. By the same measure Britney Spears could be considered as great as Gandhi.

[jackmccullough]

Framers of the Constitution. this is a great one, there are many european countries, formed centuries ago, whose constitution is actually newer than ours and I've always found it ironic that america is such a young country comparitively, yet our constitution is so old and outdated. So many people treat it like it the most sacred , still relevant document around when in reality it's a very outdated and aged tome. There's no way the framers could've forseen what our society would be like today. Freedom of the press, religion and speech are in no way shape or form unique to america but I bet there's many americans out there that think we're the only country with such guranteed rights.

Well, when you think about the law in other countries, a lot of them in Europe and even here in North America have laws prohibiting speech that criticizes ethnic or religious groups, advocates for certain disfavored political positions, or offends people. You can call that freedom of speech if you want, but I don't.

[MrMarbles]

Originally Posted by John Walmsley

A few writers have questioned whether Alexander the Great really deserved the title of "Great." Alexander had a short, meteoric career and he conquered much of Asia. But in retrospect what did he leave behind of enduring value to posterity?

Alexander the Great nearly singlehandedly changed the map of pretty much most of the world that was known to him. Under him, a tiny spec of a country upended the mightiest empire that has existed up to that point. This is as if some Central American country invaded and conquered the United States.

As far as legacy, Alexander was responsible for exporting Greek (Hellenic) culture thousands of miles beyond Greece, to the borders of India. Greek language instantly became the lingua franca of a vast region. Greek kingdoms as far as in present day Afghanistan survived for centuries after his death. Just because we talk about Alexander today, well over 2,000 years later, is a testament to his being among the most important individuals in history.

[filihok]

Christopher Columbus
What did he discover? The natives of the Americas already knew about these lands. Leif Ericsson had already preceded Columbus to the Western Hemisphere.

Agree 100%

Originally Posted by PacNW transplant

Gandhi. He only succeeded because the Brits because Britain wasn't as Barbaric as Belgium or Spain was in their colonies.

That plus India had a population of 350 million so how was a few hundred thousand or even a few million Brits going to control India without it being seen as colonial dictatorship, which owing to WW2 was unpalatable and unjustifiable.

Have to majority disagree with this one.

[jtur88]

Christopher Columbus
What did he discover? The natives of the Americas already knew about these lands. Leif Ericsson had already preceded Columbus to the Western Hemisphere.

The "importance" of Columbus was not that he discovered America, but that he sold America. He was like Edison, who marketed the genius of Tesla.