I thought that it might be interesting
just for a change to discuss something other
than politics, terrorism, or multiculturalism.

I would like to suggest that we make up a list
of people that you think influenced this country
- the "movers and shakers," that you'd like to
see acknowledged. They can be writers, poets,
artists, and anyone who you feel made an impact.

And who do you think will be on our list of the
most influencial Australians in years ahead -
and why?

And who do you think will be on our list of the
most influencial Australians in years ahead -
and why?
Foxy,
They're too numerous to list here but those who perform dirty & menial tasks & those who work to simply keep our sad society on it's wobbly wheels. The workers.

I am hopeful an Australian will come up with the final cure for cancer.
It would be wonderful not to have this scourge on our society that causes so much pain and suffering.

I take my hat off to all the unsung heroes....the medical researchers who work long hours and days with often little results.

The travel writer Bill Bryson,
in his book, "Down Under," wrote these words
about Australians:

"The Australian people are immensely likeable -
cheerful, extroverted, quick-witted and
unfailingly obliging. Their cities are safe
and clean and nearly always built on water. They
have a society that is prosperous, well ordered
and instinctinvely egalitarian."

We would expect therefore that the values of our
country would reflect the values of influential
people, after all they are the people who have
influenced those values. For example - if we were
doing people in British History - there would
undoubtedly be kings and queens. If we were doing
the United States, you'd probably find Revolutionary
War heroes and generals from the Civil War era.

On our list I expect we should have pioneers, settlers,
and founders of industries, people who interpret us and
our nation back to ourselves.

The legend of Gallipoli came to us through
a "Sydney Morning Herald" journalist turned war
historian, CEW Bean. The legend of the outback came
to us through the poets Henry Lawson, and Banjo Paterson.
to name just a few.

Writers and poets, as well as artists are important because
they fire our imagination and our emotion.

The term "movers and shakers," comes from the poet
Arthur William Edgar O'Shaughnessy, who wrote:

"We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams;
Yet we are the movers and shakers,
Of the world for ever, it seems."

We have artists like Sidney Nolan and Albert
Namatjira, Arthur Boyd just to name a few, who
helped us see ourselves and our country in
a new light.

What about future lists?

Well, as Richard Nixon using the quote of Sophocles
stated: " One must wait until the evening to see
how splendid the day has been."

In other words a person's influence can only be
judged at the end of their life - so I expect that
Influential Australians will be those who will stand the
test of time.

Dear Individual and Suse,

Thank You both for your thoughts.

A cure for cancer is something that would
certainly be a miracle - hopefully sooner
rather than later. And there are so many
other problems that we have. We are the
driest continent on earth. The person who
can solve our water problem might also be on
the list. As might the person (or persons) who
can lift our Indigenous people from the margin
to the mainstream.

We are a young country - our greatest achievements are
still in front of us.

There's plenty more room on that list of influential
people in the years that lie ahead.

How do we go about finding real movers & shakers ? The real ones aren't prancing around & ask everyone to admire them, they stay in the background where they can do their thing uninterupted.
The one that get put on pedestals are usually no better than you & I, they're simply more focussed on getting noticed doing their thing. Usually for money & prestige.