Would you do something evil for fame?

[Justinian]

I've been thinking about this lately. One of the primary fears of humanity is to be forgotten and to be alone - if you die and that is it, your time is over, your primary goal must be to be remembered and never forgotten.

So the topic: would we remember Heinrich Himmler if he hadn't organised the deaths of millions? Would we remember Hitler if he didn't start a massive war? Who do we remember more - rulers whose reigns were good and uneventful, or rulers who mistreated the populace and committed atrocities?

We don't forget people who have done disgustingly immoral acts, like Pol Pot and Hitler, and thus they have earned their (loathed) place in the history books. If Hitler had been a painter, would we remember him? Would he be one of the most important figures of the 20th century?

The question: would you do something you consciously recognise as immoral or evil for the sake of a place in the history books?

[Reidy]

I've been thinking about this lately. One of the primary fears of humanity is to be forgotten and to be alone - if you die and that is it, your time is over, your primary goal must be to be remembered and never forgotten.

So the topic: would we remember Heinrich Himmler if he hadn't organised the deaths of millions? Would we remember Hitler if he didn't start a massive war? Who do we remember more - rulers whose reigns were good and uneventful, or rulers who mistreated the populace and committed atrocities?

We don't forget people who have done disgustingly immoral acts, like Pol Pot and Hitler, and thus they have earned their (loathed) place in the history books. If Hitler had been a painter, would we remember him? Would he be one of the most important figures of the 20th century?

The question: would you do something you consciously recognise as immoral or evil for the sake of a place in the history books?

Your examples are flawed. Both Hitler and Himmler believed that the extemination of Jews and war in Europe was the best thing to do, that they should do it. So in answer to the question, no I would not, as I would see it as wrong. If I didn't, however, but others did see my actions as immoral... I don't know. I doubt it.

[Ahlerich]

ok first of all to hitler. if he had stopped before poland and didnt get back the german parts of poland on top of all the other achievements he did so far, he would still be remembered, but as a great national politician that destroyed the treaty of versaille to give germany some justice. (of course he had to approch the jew question more moderate like canada or the usa did, who just discriminated them but not exterminated them) so this is highly fictional.

history is written by victors though and some tyrants might have been remembered as heros by history if they had won somewhere. and some tyrants are so streight and without questions against humanity stalin/hitler that i think u can say universally they are "bad: or tyrants or just crazy

anyways to answer the question: no i would not, i rather wanna be remembered only by my family and i few ppl i know as a decent person than to be remembered byt the world as a bad person

[Justinian]

Of course Hitler and Himmler and others didn't consciously think that their actions were evil (at some point, the conscience sets in if you realise what you're doing is wrong). That isn't my point.

My point is that society remembers evil - the bogeyman, shall we say - more then normal, good-and-bad-but-mostly-good human beings.

So would you, to be remembered, do something others would consider immoral/you considered immoral?

[Habelo]

Omg Reidy.... Does the word power ring a bell for you?

No i wouldnt.
I wouldnt liike: people loving me but i hate myself.
i would like: people hating me but i love myself.
You gotta be proud over yourself! Thats the hole point, you wont be happy if others think youre good if you think ure bad. Thought this is completly on how smart you are....

[Habelo]

I think that this question is about how insecure you are...

[Justinian]

I think that this question is about how insecure you are...

How so?

[theking994]

I doubt many people would do something really bad only to get into the history books. I would rather be forgotten than remembered for killing millions of people. Of course I assume I know/understand what I would do to get into the history books is bad.

[Habelo]

How so?

Well counting of own experience wich the only one i really *know* about, so do i find fame testy when you are in your weaker days, and mayby would sacrifice some for it. But when you are more happy and secure you turn it of directly.....

[Ahlerich]

history remembers outstandin personalities also.

think of scientists, artists,politiciens,emperors and kings. not only bad ones also good ones. of course ggod and bad is relative and depents on the viewer.
history remembers michelangelo, darwin, einstein, da vinci, charlemagne, etc...now u can find something bad in everybody i guess but many are remembered without beeing tyrants

its prolly easier to become infamous than famous. i mean if i buy a gun go out and shoot 20ppl i make it in the news with only 5min of "work"
a good way to come into the news costs more work and time.

no i would not be bad just to be remembered, i will not fall to the darkside.

[Mathias]

depends on how "evil" the act is, so I will go for a maybe on this topic

[Ahlerich]

well if the act is not evil enough you wont be remembered

[LordSaradain]

There was this guy who burned down the one of the 7 wonders(I think it was the mausoleum, but I'm not sure, I know it was in modern Turkey) some thousand years ago and his motifwas that he wanted to be famous.
Doing something like that just to be remembered might be worth it...

Seriously, I'd like to be remembered in some old book or something, but oh well...I doubt I will be, and in the end what does it matter? Does anything matter?

[Habelo]

Well why be famous AFTER youre death?
Its not like you will be proud ore something, ure dead!

[Justinian]

Well why be famous AFTER youre death?
Its not like you will be proud ore something, ure dead!

Fame is immortality. Will we ever forget Alexander the Great? Not for a long, long time. He died over 2,000 years ago, and he lived only into his 30s, but in a way he is over 2,000 years old because he is remembered.

[Boudicca]

I'd rather try to do good works during my life.

What is fame anyways....

[Legione]

Fame is immortality. Will we ever forget Alexander the Great? Not for a long, long time. He died over 2,000 years ago, and he lived only into his 30s, but in a way he is over 2,000 years old because he is remembered.

He is also remembered as a homo.

My point is that there will always be dirt on your name when you're remembered. Also being famous doesn't mean being happy, lots of famous people commit suicide, but even more probably feel like crap. I know far more people lived happier lives humble and affecting a few people close to them.

[Ardeur]

Define fame. Will I be remembered in any history books after I'm gone? No, probably not. But I will be remembered by those around me. And my actions will live on in the impacts they have on those around me.

I think there is a big difference between being famous and leaving your mark. Average joe's every where will always leave a mark of some sort on the world and most of them will manage to do so without resorting to "evil".

As for being famous, fame is not my goal in life, so I would never be passionate enough about it to be willing to utilize any means to get it. However that raises an interesting side question: Would I be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my goals?

A very good question indeed.

[Habelo]

Fame is immortality. Will we ever forget Alexander the Great? Not for a long, long time. He died over 2,000 years ago, and he lived only into his 30s, but in a way he is over 2,000 years old because he is remembered.

Well fame is mayby immortality, but what advantage those that give you? I mean you wont know if you will be remembered ore not, you cant smile when people build great monuments after youre death right? Youre dead, simple!

[Ahlerich]

when you are getting older and closer to death you get a disire to leave something on earth that represents you. most ppl do and if its jsut bymaking children