But people love lists. People will read lists. There's something so readable about them. In 1977, "The Book of Lists" was a huge best seller. I happen to have a copy here. Let me show you my favorite page:
UPDATE: The first page of "The Book of Lists" is a set of seven lists of "The Most Hated and Feared Persons in History" for the years 1970-1976. Hitler comes in Number 1 for all the years except 1972 and 1973, when Nixon comes in first! In fact, 1972 was a good year for Hitler, when he made it all the way down to fourth place. Idi Amin and Mao Tse-tung were, along with Nixon, more hated and feared. Satan was in fifth place that year. Amusingly, by 1976, Nixon is off the five-person list altogether, and Jimmy Carter is on, tied for fourth place with Count Dracula. The list was based on asking "3,500 international visitors" to the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum in London "which persons -- past or present -- they hated the most."
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8 comments:
I'd be interested to see the results of a similar poll taken now. My bet is that Bush and Blair would probably both make the top 5.
The boys of 1977 must have been real wusses. Chris Evert in #4? Real men don't vote for female tennis stars. This is the same pack of pansies who grew up and supported the John Dean campaign.
As I recall 1977 and Chrissie Evert, it was very real for this man.
As far as the list you originally linked to, it loses any credibility when you throw Charles Darwin in there. I'm a conservative Christian but that's just shallow analysis, IMHO
ah...1977...Chris Evert, yes! But Dorothy Hamill...even more Yes!!
RLC, I got ya back, my brother! Up with the women-love!
Peace out!
I think there's a difference between having someone as your hero and loving them, though.
Ann: In 1977 I was 20 years old, I'm sure I pretty well blurred the distinction. Now I'd put Maria Sharapova and Tom Brady on completely different lists.
Well, looking at the panelists, I guess I can see why the books that made the top 10 list did so.
But I would suggest that they let their political biases overcome their common sense.
I would agree with them on: 1(Marx), 2 (Hitler), 3 (Mao), 6 (Marx), 9 (Nietzsche) and 10 (Keynes), which, I guess, at 6 of 10, a fellow traveler.
Kinsey (4) and Friedan (7) may have gone a bit overboard. But, I would suggest that they were the antithesis to the then prevailing thesis. In other words, though they went too far, the resulting synthesis is, to my mind, quite positive - esp. in view of our discussion yesterday on sexual differences, etc.
I have to agree with Richard - after all, it is women who make us men (and, presumably, visa versa). I would suggest that any man who doesn't like women is probably deep down worried about his own sexuality.
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