We will inevitably quibble over any list of this sort, but the truth is that the top 20 or so are indisputable. The order is arguable of course, but the names largely are not.
The major failing of this is not so much its undeniable
Euro/
American-centrism, but its unwillingness to search for obscure (to a
Western 20th century audience) choices who actually changed the world in favor of
feel-good famous names like
Florence Nightingale who, while important, actually accomplished relatively little in millennial terms. Starting off with
Suleman the Magnificent got my hopes up, but they were quickly dashed. Where is, as
TheLady said,
Tamerlane?
Pope Urban II? The
Emperor Meiji?
The selections of
Bill Gates and
Stephen Spielberg, who are not even the most accomplished or important names in their own fields, are absolutely inexcusable. Are they
smoking crack? Blatant pandering and
asskissing of the worst kind. I wonder how many
Microsoft commercials
A&E got as a result.
The people responsible should be sacked.