The question that was posed: you can have dinner with three people who had a major influence on you. Who do you invite? While the answer is likely to change depending on mood, age, or time of day, here are my current choices:
- Carl Sagan. If there is anyone who better encapsulates science, spirituality, and an ability to communicate, I couldn’t think of them. The opportunity to eat with someone who could explain details of the cosmos in understandable ways, who could expound on how the scientific wonders of the universe made him believe all the more in God, and who was infinitely curious about human nature and evolution, are all things that would make him a great dinner partner.
- Jesus. I suspect Jesus would be on a lot of people’s lists, but for different reasons. It is questionable whether anyone has had a greater influence on philosophy and morality, and the opportunity to hear his thoughts about the world today would be a revelation in all senses of the word. Whether or not the real Jesus would have a direct line to the Almighty or simply be a teacher with profound views, spending a meal with him would be the most enlightening experience imaginable.
- Teddy Roosevelt. America’s greatest conservationist President, the man who made the Panama Canal a reality, and an adventurer whose hunting and outdoor exploits are still revered. While he did a number of things that were worth questioning, a dinner with Teddy would be filled with stories and wisdom, and one that was sure to inspire.
The comments link is below – coming up with a list of three is a fun thought exercise, and I’d be very interested to hear what type of folks others would choose.
I like the idea of meeting with King Arthur, MLK and Ghenghis Kahn. And also you need a “to” after opportunity in your Jesus paragraph. These 3 are definitely not my pick but I like the combination.
I don’t like how you know typos bug me so much. Also, it’s “Genghis Khan”.
Typos mean almost nothing to me while they eat you alive
PG Wodehouse (the funniest writer of all time), Christopher Hitchens and Gandhi, although not too sure about the dinner conversation skills of the last one.
With Hitchens there I’d be far more concerned about the alcohol tolerance of the other guests… although that might take care of any issues with conversation skills.