Obviously the film industry is part of the mix in what shapes our lives and our experiences. I personally quote movies like they are part of my own vocabulary and though not everyone does that, most people know exactly what I mean when I say it.
Since everyone LOVES lists, I think people might actually be interested in this book. Yes, a book (You know those things with the pages that movies are based on) that outlines The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived: How Characters of Fiction, Myth, Legends, Television, and Movies Have Shaped Our Society, Changed Our Behavior, and Set the Course of History.
From Santa Claus to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Uncle Sam to Uncle Tom, here is a compelling, eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining compendium of fictional trendsetters and world-shakers who have helped shape our culture and our lives. The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived offers fascinating histories of our most beloved, hated, feared, and revered invented icons and the indelible marks they made on civilization, including:
# 28: Rosie the Riveter, the buff, blue-collar factory worker who helped jump-start the Women’s Liberation movement
# 7: Siegfried, the legendary warrior-hero of Teutonic nationalism responsible for propelling Germany into two world wars
# 80: Icarus, the headstrong high-flyer who inspired the Wright brothers and humankind’s dreams of defying gravity . . . while demonstrating the pressing need for flight insurance
# 58: Saint Valentine, the hapless, de-canonized loser who lost his heart and head at about the same time
# 43: Barbie, the bodacious plastic babe who became a role model for millions of little girls, setting an impossible standard for beauty and style
I am sure that somewhere in this book is one of your favourite iconic characters that somehow helped you shape your world view.
A little more obscure, but the main characters found in Illusions, The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach strongly influenced how I see challenges in my life and defined a lot of my world view early in my teenage years.
Any movie characters that you relate to? Inspired by?
If you want to buy the book, its over at Amazon right now for $11
Even NonChristians can agree that Jesus Christ was a real person even if you disagree with WHO he is.
That would be really bold. lmfao
They didn’t have the guts to put Jesus Christ on the list?
John Galt
Im sure the man who inspired JFK isnt considered more popular that JFK either. For a character to be inspired by another character is irrelevant in this list. Its what THAT character’s impact on society that is being graded here.
And many pagans would disagree that Santa is allowing you to celebrate Christmas in a Christian way since most holiday icons revolving around that time of year have their origins in Pagan traditions (the tree, yule log etc)
From a review on Amazon:
The most influential fictional character in world history, they tell us, is the Marlboro Man, because of the number of cancer deaths. More influential than Icarus, which encouraged man to fly? than Sherlock Holmes, which popularized the application of science to criminal investigations? than Santa Claus, a secular unifier which allows most of the world to celebrate a Christian holiday?
Furthermore, the Marlboro Man is only as effective as he is because he is based on the cowboy, who is only number 19 on the list. How can a fictional derivation of a fictional character rate his own place on the list?
Luke Skyywalker & Conan.