How do persons become great?

[hallenrm]

Great men and women have been there always. We read about them in history books, newspapers and magazines. Sometimes we do envy them! So it is a natural question "How did they achieve greatness?

 

Several answers come to mind? Let us see if a consensus emerges among the interested Hypographers.:QuestionM

[Racoon]

I would say all the above.

BUT,

I'm sure there have been cases where people are born great, and had bad parents or No parents.

 

Luck never hurt. :QuestionM

[Drip Curl Magic]

It's all a chain reaction. Everything that has ever happened starting with the big bang shapes who we are.

 

But honestly.

 

You're all great. All of you.

[InfiniteNow]

Because they were deemed to be so by others. Anyone calling themselves great tends to be deemed a pompous ***, but if someone else says they're great, it may have a kernel of truth.

[Tormod]

They work hard to do something good, and are lucky enough to be recognized for it.

[InfiniteNow]

They work hard to do something good, and are lucky enough to be recognized for it.

Have I told you you're doing a good job today Tormod? You're great! :note:

[TheBigDog]

Greatness is used to describe those we admire or envy. Or those we recognize as being admired or envied by others.

 

Bill

[infamous]

If one is truly striving for greatness, they are going to have to work very hard for it.

 

The following are what I believe it takes to become great;

 

#1. Patience

#2. Purpose

#3. Resilience

#4. Creativity

#5. Responsibility

#6. A lot of hard work and a little luck.

#7. The knowledge that: To whom much is given, shall even the greater part be required.

 

.....................Infy

[hallenrm]

I would say all the above.

BUT,

I'm sure there have been cases where people are born great, and had bad parents or No parents.

 

Luck never hurt. ;)

 

My vote would be because of extragenetin factors. Let me explain why!

 

Besides the people who are already great, and I would include many on the Hypography in that list (including Tormod:) the real purpose of my raising this question is to induce people to try to bring up great persons, If we resign to the statement that people become great only because they inherited great genes or they were lucky, there is no scope for active action:naughty: but if people agree (even for some years) that they can raise great people by some of their actions, it would be contribution in the right direction.

 

I am following the lead from an earlier thread Do-biological-organisms-have-extra-chromosomal sources of info?.

 

My vote has a purpose:naughty:

[Racoon]

My vote would be because of extragenetin factors. Let me explain why!

 

Explain Winston Churchill: Born in a whorehouse. ;) :eek:

[Indroneil Ghosh]

To be great, you need to be liked by others. If you have done a huge load of good stuff but nobody knows it, how will you be great?

[bpjg2fat]

im the greatest, because.

[ldsoftwaresteve]

To be great, you need to be liked by others. If you have done a huge load of good stuff but nobody knows it, how will you be great?

Hmmm. You gotta do better than that, Ghosh. ;)

So, if today a lot of people like me but tomorrow they don't....how great was I?

Hallenrm: please define what you mean by 'great'.

[hallenrm]

Explain Winston Churchill: Born in a whorehouse. :( :(

 

Well! I consider politicians to be no different then whores!!!:)

 

Whores trade their body, politicians their soul:hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

 

On a more serious note, I smell a pejorative note in your note. Why should we be scornful of whores, they serve a very useful role in the society, and many great people are their clients, so if a child born in a whorehouse becomes great, it doesn't surprise me, and I do not consider that such instances contradict my hypothesis.:) :)

[hallenrm]

Hallenrm: please define what you mean by 'great'.

Great persons are usually distinguished persons in society. They need not be necessarily very wealthy, but they are still respected for their character by many and envied by almost an equal number. :(

 

No doubt they have enemies too.:(

[ldsoftwaresteve]

Let me help. One is great if one is great at something. So, greatness is an attribute of a skillset. A great whore, a great actor, a great mathematician, a great wastewater treatment plant operator.

I would qualify that with one more tiny thing: One must be great at something that makes the lives of others more fulfilling or carefree, or happy.

 

I don't consider criminals as having skillsets since they are fundamentally parasitic in nature. I don't consider lying a skillset except when it's done in a comedy act, such as Jon Lovitz as Tommy Flanagan, Pathological Liar. I would consider one caveat here though: a thief who stole only from criminals or a liar that lied only to liars might qualify for greatness.