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Who in history (either present or in the past) do you think has had the biggest positive impact on humanity? (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by Aurelius@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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[–] Inui@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago (2 children)

This Stallman? https://drewdevault.com/2023/11/25/2023-11-26-RMS-on-sex.html

[–] OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml 6 points 8 months ago

Yes. That Stallman is arguably one of the top few people why we have the internet as it is, at all today.

Most other people could be "replaced". If it wasn't X, it would be Y. But only Stallman pushed the copyleft license onto Linux. Only Stallman's organization popularized it.

So yes, that sexist, neurodivergent, bigoted Stallman, is one of the most positively influential people of our time.

[–] Gabu@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

A person needn't be good in order to do good things, just as a good person doesn't necessarily impact the world positively simply by existing.

[–] Inui@lemmy.ml 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Sure.But if someone wants to say "X has done the most good because they fed 1 million people" but you don't mention that X also killed 900,000 people, you're being disingenuous. No, I'm not saying Stallman is a mass murderer. But normalizing pedophilia is a gross counterbalance to whatever good work he's done.

[–] Gabu@lemmy.ml 0 points 8 months ago

You're wrongly assuming that the opinion of one man on a subject he has no sway in is relevant to more than IRC discussions.