Who will we remember 400 years from now?

[42]

Nobody. Humans will be extinct then.

 

[darko]

Jaden Smith

 

[Jack Straw]

Picasso, Einstein, maybe Stephen Hawking.

 

[Petrouth]

Jaden Smith

I shouldn't have laughed as hard as I did to this. Thank you

 

[Mrb1p]

Maybe Bill Gates - but that is a long time from now - mainly the individual behind having everyone with computers in their homes which was the start of the information age much like Henry Ford is to manufacturing

Who do we remember from 400 years ago?

Kepler, Descartes, Locke, Shakespear, Newton, John Smith, Galilei, Louis XIV, Voltaire(Bit less than 400.), Bach, Hobbes, Peter the great, Henry IV, Samuel De Champlain, Anthonio Stradivari etc.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I'm just gonna stick to culture and leave the politicians or others out of it. The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Elvis will be the "big three" of 20th century music looking back, probably (maybe someone like Miles Davis as well). Picasso undoubtedly. Hitchcock as well. One suggestion I'll make that others haven't is that The Simpsons will be as well. Great portrayal of 20th century life, shows rise of cartoons as medium, etc.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Gretzky.

 

[njdevsfn95]

Is there a distinction between "know" and "can know about"?

For example, there are historical figures from 300 years ago that i do not know right now but I have the ability to find out about them.

If we are talking so popular it is ingrained in teaching of history (or other subject matter) and is truly considered general knowledge for the time, very few. Perhaps individuals that we knew about when we were all younger and didn't have to expend much energy to know about them in the first place.

 

[Mrb1p]

Is there a distinction between "know" and "can know about"?

For example, there are historical figures from 300 years ago that i do not know right now but I have the ability to find out about them.

If we are talking so popular it is ingrained in teaching of history (or other subject matter) and is truly considered general knowledge for the time, very few. Perhaps individuals that we knew about when we were all younger and didn't have to expend much energy to know about them in the first place.

Look up, I listed quite a few of them and I'm pretty sure I can go even further than that, most people SHOULD know these.

 

[vdB]

Whoever becomes the face(s) of animal liberation.

 

[USC Trojans]

Unfortunately probably the Kardashians.

They will be airing Keeping Up with the Kardashians season 415 and their 200 spinoff shows.

 

[Shareefruck]

I strongly disagree with Elvis (and Michael Jackson). People usually don't get remembered for 400 years due to the popularity they had and how big they were in pop culture alone. In terms of output and innovation, he really didn't do all that much compared to other greats, and most of the credit that he does get, he owes to the black artists who were among the real pioneers. Not sure his music holds up very well over time anyways.

As far as musicians go, I see absolutely no reason why Miles Davis and John Coltrane should not be viewed on the same level as the raised-on-a-pedestal classical guys, personally. Personally, I think they have a better crack at that than the Rock guys.

As far as filmmakers go, I don't think Spielberg stands the test of time, personally.

 

[Lshap]

I strongly disagree with Elvis (and Michael Jackson). People usually don't get remembered for 400 years due to the popularity they had and how big they were in pop culture alone. In terms of output and innovation, he really didn't do all that much compared to other greats, and most of the credit that he does get, he owes to the black artists who were among the real pioneers. Not sure his music holds up very well over time anyways.

As far as musicians go, I see absolutely no reason why Miles Davis and John Coltrane should not be viewed on the same level as the raised-on-a-pedestal classical guys, personally. Personally, I think they have a better crack at that than the Rock guys.

As far as filmmakers go, I don't think Spielberg stands the test of time, personally.

I doubt film remains important much longer, never mind 400 years from now. Storytelling will always be huge in any culture at any time, but the media used to experience it (notice I didn't say "watch it") will become unrecognizable. I can't see anyone caring about Spielberg, Scorsese, or Lucas's creaky old movie stories in 400 years. The original stories will survive -- Shakespeare will forever remain great source material -- but today's storytellers will be supplanted by new people with totally different tools.

Music is different. There is no way to separate Beethoven's symphonies from Beethoven himself. No way to separate Hey Jude, In My Life, Something, She Loves You, from the guys who sung them. I think music interpreters like Elvis, Miles, hopefully Louis Armstrong, etc. will also survive, thanks to their distinctive sound.

 

[x Tame Impala]

David Bowie, the Beatles, and Elon Musk.

 

[Lshap]

David Bowie, the Beatles, and Elon Musk.

Few people love Bowie as much as I do, but I don't think he'll be remembered well or referenced often in the future. His songs aren't small enough to be adapted to campfires or hummable standards, and not big enough to become iconic. I'd love for Blackstar to become timeless, but I'm hopelessly biased.

On the other hand, I think Bohemian Rhapsody will remain iconic, even if Queen won't.

 

[Diamondillium]

One that hasn't been mentioned yet is Neil Armstrong. I think being the first man on the moon will always be remembered as the first steps towards bigger things, especially if humanity advances in the direction of space exploration.

 

[Individual 1]

The Beatles, possibly Bob Dylan as a lyricist.

I think Jimi Hendrix would be remembered as a guitarist if he didn't die so early allowing him to put out more work.

I hope Muhammad Ali will be remembered.

What about J.R.R. Tolkien or Harry Potter?

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I strongly disagree with Elvis (and Michael Jackson). People usually don't get remembered for 400 years due to the popularity they had and how big they were in pop culture alone. In terms of output and innovation, he really didn't do all that much compared to other greats, and most of the credit that he does get, he owes to the black artists who were among the real pioneers. Not sure his music holds up very well over time anyways.

It's impossible to tell, really, because pop culture on the scale Elvis and MJ were at has only come into existence in the past 100 years. The idea of the "household name" is a pretty recent phenomenon, so we don't really have a frame of reference as to whether or not a pop culture icon as ubiquitous as Elvis (who I agree with you on his weak musical claims) will be that memorable.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Even today, I don't think there's enough recognition of Lou Reed and John Cale's partnership. Yeah, yeah, I know Lou Reed is very famous but the VU weren't the same after Cale left, even if they were still great. Their peaks were with Cale in the band and him bringing that distinctly experimental sound to the band. Hopefully that's changed within 400 years.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

It's impossible to tell, really, because pop culture on the scale Elvis and MJ were at has only come into existence in the past 100 years. The idea of the "household name" is a pretty recent phenomenon, so we don't really have a frame of reference as to whether or not a pop culture icon as ubiquitous as Elvis (who I agree with you on his weak musical claims) will be that memorable.

That's very fair. I don't think we have a point of reference to be able to say how pop culture phenomenons will be seen and remembered centuries from now.

 

[RandV]

For music wouldn't it be funny if with all the great artists we've had it ends up being something like 'Hatsune Miku' that gets remembered.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

From the 20th century?

Musically, probably Louis Armstrong.
Artistically, probably Picasso.

Popular revolutionaries who are as fresh today as they were 100 years ago (or thereabouts).

 

[Led Zappa]

Elvis is still loved around the world. If fact, probably more in other countries than here today. People travel from around the world to visit Graceland. He'll be remembered 400 years from now. He was the first "Rock Star" in the world. He's the King.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Whatever the powers that be want you to.

 

[Tecumseh]

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