List your top 5 inspirational/influential figures and why (does not need to be in any specific order, just list 5 from the top of your mind in whatever order):
1)
Albert Einstein: Went from a nobody to the man of the century and perhaps the greatest scientist ever. At a young age, people looked down at him and questioned his intelligence in early age and he was pretty socially retarded somewhat. Proves everybody wrong starting in college and created some of the most advanced theories known to mankind that are still pretty widely accepted today + quantum physics field pretty much was started after his research/writings. Crazy guy but very smart. Quite an accomplishment, eh?
2)
Mahatma Gandhi: What was he? A tiny guy with bones sticking out of every part of his body with just enough food to stand upright. Then you look at what he did: he took down the British empire through strictly peaceful means. He would starve himself for months at a time if any of his people used violence against the British (and the Muslims later on when India was violently split between Hindus/Muslims after British left). People (from both Hindu and Islam side) would beg him to eat again and stopped violence just for him. After he was shot, he had the largest funeral ever with all of India closing down for days, and it is still a major holiday today. Unbelievable. Arguably the most influential person ever.
3)
Martin Luther King Jr.: Much like Gandhi, he believed in getting black rights through only peaceful means (he actually said that he studied Gandhi closely, took out books on Gandhi's philosophy and his teachings and later used those teachings in his own fight). He pretty much was the most important figure in getting blacks their rights and removing the segregation. Gave his life for what he believed in. MLK also had fewer people to work with; Gandhi had all of India behind him while MLK was mostly blacks, who were a minority. I GREATLY respect people that against all odds come out victorious just so that their children could have the same opportunities as others. Of course, there is still lots of racism and the opportunities are not the same between blacks/whites, but it doesn't compare to how it was during the segregation days.
4)
JFK: I don't even know where to start. Space race was won during his presidency, first moon landing ever. Closest we have ever came to world annihilation (or at least destruction of much of USA and most of USSR) after Cuban missile crisis but was thwarted by JFK (he went against what most of his Generals were asking for - a preemptive strike on USSR). Youngest president ever, normal family that people can connect with. Drilled Marilyn Monroe and other beautiful women of that time. War hero. Assassinated. Damn, what he could have been if he wasn't assassinated. All we can do is speculate, but he sure was somebody you want to admire.
5)
Humanity as a whole: It is inspiration for where we are today as a human race. We have gone through a lot... Quick list of what makes us absolutely awesome. Evolved from apes. Invented tools from stones and firepit for staying warm+cooking. Spoken language and agricultural farming. Domesticated animals. People came together to create civilizations and large cities. Underground sewers, new foods and crops. New ideas coming together from all corners of the globe. Mathematics, physics, economics, philosophy, etc. History being constantly written and retold. Created cars and airplanes. A-bomb and genetic engineering. Space travel, research. The challenge to find new better sources of energy. Hate and love. War and stability. We are where we are today and that in itself is an inspiration to all that it stands for.