Who are your influences?
Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another. — George Eliot
The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived is an informative and entertaining “list” book. It is a compendium of influential characters, myths and legends chosen by three self-described philosophers — Alan Lazar, Dan Karlan and Jeremy Salter — who also made skillful, rock-solid, and smart arguments for their entries that you can’t help but nod in agreement.
The book begins with a ranked listing of the 101 characters the authors have chosen. The ranking, the authors freely admit, is purely subjective, based on their estimation of the number of people influenced by each one of them and the profundity of that influence. The characters are then grouped into topical areas such as Greek and Roman myths, folktales, monsters, stereotypes, adventure, literature, and television, among others. Each figure has an entry two to three pages long that traces his or her history, evolution, and influence in culture.
The listed cultural icons exist only in the imagination — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman, Don Quixote, Luke Skywalker, Mickey Mouse, King Kong, GI Joe, Barbie, Uncle Sam, Uncle Tom and The Ugly Duckling, among others — but as the subtitle of the book states, these creations are characters of myth, legends, television, and movies that have “shaped our society, changed our behavior, and set the course of history.”
The tome demonstrates the supremacy of ideas, and brings proof and support that at some point, the pen is mightier than the sword. The inventory illustrates why men and women of letters and creativity — poets, novelists, artists, playwrights, musicians, advertising executives, movie producers and other imaginative spirits — are often more powerful than politicians and other characters who used more of their left brain than their right brain. Here’s a sampling of imaginary and magical yet powerful characters of fiction and fantasy that have influenced business and life — rightly or wrongly:
1. Hamlet: Shakespeare’s prince of Denmark uses his wits to survive in a treacherous world and avenge his father’s murder. He shows you how to use a modern, rational approach to the unknown, the unjust, and the uncertainty of life. His phrases — “the play is the thing,” “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,” “I must be cruel, only to be kind” — are still being used in everyday life. Hamlet, also called the “prince of problems,” stimulates you to think about the challenges of living in the real world. He ranks fifth.
2. Robin Hood: You’ve met Robin Hood in pub stories, works of fiction and the movies. Without his knowing it, he has become the symbol of common justice, a snub to the rich and powerful, a celebration of self-rule and evenhandedness. He stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The end is good, but the means are questionable. Today, taking from the wealthy and giving to the deprived has become a function of government, aptly — the privileged through their taxes give to the underprivileged. US President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, also known as the welfare state, aptly demonstrates the concept.
3. Cinderella: The epitome of the rags-to-riches story. The innocent prey of subjugation by a wicked stepmother, she has been part of every culture, with minor variations. Questions have been asked about her: What has she done to merit the interest of a prince? Was it because she had to leave the party before midnight strikes? Was it because she wears small shoes? Are these prerequisites enough to make her ascend to royalty, or to bring her to fame and glory? She is wretched, but you fall in love with the idea that the meek will triumph in the end. But the Cinderella syndrome can be counterproductive, too. She exemplifies a misrepresentation of reality, the reality in which you are expected to earn your rewards. She ranks number 26.
4. Midas: He is an object lesson in the hazards of wishing carelessly. King Midas did a favor for a Greek God, and as a reward, he was granted one wish. He asked that anything he touched would turn to gold, and got it. He soon realized that this “Midas touch” was a curse. He discovered that he was unable to eat or drink, and when his daughter tried to comfort him, tragedy struck as she, too, turned to gold. In the end, he finally asked that the gift be taken back. He learned how to undo the damage he had caused and repented for his stupidity. “Be careful what you wish for” is the moral of the story of King Midas. His blinding greed warns you of the trouble that can follow when you act on impulse, on any blind motivation. When you ignore the possible consequences of your actions, tragedy will follow. The king ranks number 29.
5. Dracula: The caped Transylvanian is the precursor of the whole vampire genre, from Buffy to Twilight. He has left his bite marks on contemporary literature, film, and television. He symbolizes immortality and invulnerability. Lately, he has been turned from a terrifying persona into a romantic figure. He lives on other people’s blood, controls their mind, and turns them into insipid imitations of himself. Dracula is seen as a wonderful analogy for a lot of realistic situations. Have you been sucked dry, drained and manipulated every time you interact with vampire-like people? The authors described Dracula as “a universal villain. He’s the dangerous side of elegance, a symbol of the horrors that lurk in the deep woods of our souls.” The suave man in the cape ranks 33.
6. Alice in Wonderland: A Lewis Carroll creation, Alice is the little kid’s voice of reason in a world gone bonkers. Alice serves as the bridge between youth and adulthood. But from her point of view, the adult world is ridiculous and hers is sensible. On the other hand, most adults regard their world as realistic and Alice’s as the world of toys and make-believe, as a realm of fantasy. For children, the lesson of Alice’s story is anchored on ordinariness: Being prepared for the ridiculous and for surprises. And as you go through life, being prepared for the inanity of contemporary culture, and both the sane and insane people who populate it. She ranks 34.
7. Pandora: The original scapegoat, the target of a primitive need to point the finger, to find someone to blame. She is the “makapili” of the Philippine-Japanese war era or perhaps your modern-day whistleblower. As the story goes, Zeus entrusted Pandora with a sealed box with instructions not to open it, but she was weak, unable to resist temptation and eventually opened the box, allowing all the diseases, plagues and other afflictions to escape and bedevil mankind. If she were alive today, she would find herself saddled with numerous lawsuits. The penchant for accusing, blaming, and then suing someone for a problem for which you don’t want to accept responsibility has become the stuff of legend. She places 47.
8. Tarzan: The badge of man’s supremacy over the rest of the animal kingdom. Even when grabbed from an outpost of culture and society and nurtured by uncivilized beasts, he dominates and tames the wild jungle. Tarzan’s story focuses attention on the question of just what it is that makes a person civilized and how he gets that way. It posits that reason is the spark that separates man from the brute, and that this faculty is innate, a part of the inherent biological uniqueness of the human species. Tarzan, who is known for his trademark chest-thumping and gorilla-like yelling, ranks 49.
9. Santa Claus (St. Nick): He ranks number one on the Forbes list of richest fictional characters in the USA, and stores count on him to keep the economy going. He was a real person — Nicholas of Patara and later St. Nicholas — and evolved as a mythical, chubby, favorite uncle who brings holiday presents to those who have not been naughty but nice. Yes, he has driven the commercialization of Christmas, but he, too, is a symbol of joy, generosity and all that is right. He ranks 4.
10. James Bond: Described as “the best of men,” “ace of spies in the game of international intrigue,” and “sensuous man of mystery,” Mr. Bond is the last trace of pride in British colonial history. His character, also known as “spy 007,” lives into the new century and even to this day because he combines conspiracy, sex and trademark English urbanity with state-of-the-art technologies. He is the icon of professional spying, and recognized as someone who can influence planning based on “inside information” he has on his hands. The cultural weathervane for the civilized world ranks 51.
Who’s on your list?
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