Diana: the most famous woman of the 20th century?

[BeatrixFan]

Originally Posted by Al_bina

What women brought down the Soviet Union? You mean Margaret Thatcher.

Indeed I do. Indeed she did. Well, played a very large role in it at any rate.

[Polly]

Margaret Thatcher brought down the Soviet Union? I dunno - Americans believe that Ronald Reagan did. I disagree with both!

Rock and roll and radiation destroyed the Soviet Union, I reckon, with a little help from Boris de Drink.

About Diana - like her or not - she is definitely one of the most famous women of C20. Fame doesn't mean anything other than what it is - Diana was and remains famous throughout a lot of the world.

Sitting up from the early hours nursing and caring for a very sick little puppy I've seen tv report after report this morning on Diana, with direct crosses to London; commentator after commentator; replays of parts of the wedding; replays of parts of the mourning crowds, The Queen, the funeral, etc.. etc. She's also all over the early morning news services. I venture to conclude that she's still pretty famous in Australia!

[BeatrixFan]

Oh she was famous but the most famous woman? Then again, famous doesn't have to mean positive contribution of outstanding quality anymore and can just mean being known for being known.

[sirhon11234]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Oh she was famous but the most famous woman? Then again, famous doesn't have to mean positive contribution of outstanding quality anymore and can just mean being known for being known.

Like that Paris Hilton.

[sherylal24]

'Diana was known throughout the world, everyone knew who she was. not because she did anything earth shattering but for who she was. She was famous for being the Princess of Wales who had charisma, charm and beauty. Another woman who comes to mind is Jackie Onassis, both these woman were known worldwide which is what they mean as being famous!

[Polly]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

Like that Paris Hilton.

Who is she?

[sirhon11234]

She's an heiress to the Hilton Family Fortune her family owns the Hilton Hotels. Paris is complete trash in my opinion.

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by Polly

Who is she?

You have no idea how lucky you are that you haven't heard of her. Here in the states her face is plastered everywhere!

[pinkie40]

As much as Jackie ushered in a new era, Diana got way more global coverage so I would have to go back and say Diana was the most famous woman of the 20th century...Simply because they even loved her in Siberia!

Upon reflection, the 20th century is unique because "women" actually had a voice and an impact as never before in the history of modern Western Civilization.

[Al_bina]

Dear members of this Forum!
As a person, who witnessed the fall of the USSR, I have got the following to note. It is unreasonable to state that Reagan or Thatcher destroyed the country. I would say that the crisis within the Communist Party aggravated by an absence of a charismatic leader and steep decline in the economics brought the country down. It was terrible and difficult time to live in and survive. I would not wish such situation on my worst enemy.
As for Princess Diana, she was an exceptional woman. Everybody was shocked to learn about the fatal car accident that took her life and felt sorry about her sons due to unfavourable opinions about Prince Charles.
There was an unprecedented coverage of the events on TV: her wedding day, reports from the crash site, and the funeral.

[COUNTESS]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Oh she was famous but the most famous woman? Then again, famous doesn't have to mean positive contribution of outstanding quality anymore and can just mean being known for being known.

You are right. Famous in this instance means recognition. Yes, they are many who did a whole lot more. I am not sure about Thatcher and outside the UK she is basically a non-entity. The Soviet Union fell because it was fiscally bankrupt from years of building bigger and better war machines. Face recognition, I believe, is what this is about and Diana is it. Even Jackie Kennedy is much less recognizible. And it depends on age. Young people today, do not even know who some people we might think are famous are, like Marilyn Monroe.

[BeatrixFan]

I am not sure about Thatcher and outside the UK she is basically a non-entity.

Oh I don't know. There was a TV programme recently about Paul Merton in China and when he asked a tailor who he most admired fashion wise, he said Margaret. So it's strange how people's names travel.

[Al_bina]

Originally Posted by pinkie40

As much as Jackie ushered in a new era, Diana got way more global coverage so I would have to go back and say Diana was the most famous woman of the 20th century...Simply because they even loved her in Siberia!

Upon reflection, the 20th century is unique because "women" actually had a voice and an impact as never before in the history of modern Western Civilization.

Dear pinkie40,
I do not mean to offend you, but there is a lot of educated people in Siberia, escpecially scientists, who live in so-called "closed scientific towns" and work on military-related projects as well as engineers, who explore the mineral resources of the territory.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Oh she was famous but the most famous woman? Then again, famous doesn't have to mean positive contribution of outstanding quality anymore and can just mean being known for being known.

I totally agree ! Paris Hilton, like many other people, doesn't deserve her fame. She never did something of her life, exept making some adult videos. It makes me sick to think about person like that who are so privileged in life but don't give a little of their time to the less fortunate and don't do anything to worth their money. You can be actress and play in films but at least you do something, it's your work that makes you rich. It's not Paris fault that her father is a millionaire but she could do intelligent actions. The real icons are famous because of their actions : political, humanitarian, acting, singing, etc. Not because their father have their pockets full of money. It's why Tatcher, Monroe, Diana, Jackie O., etc. are the famous women for me. Even if in the future, people will see girls like Paris as icones but one day they will think : "What did she do to be a celebrity ?" and then they will realize the stupidity of calling someone like her famous.

[Warren]

Sorry, but I don't understand why there is any need to introduce Paris Hilton into this discussion. Comparisons between her and Diana only serve to trivialise Diana and consign her to the "famous for being famous" niche of supermarket trash mag notoriety, and that's rather self-defeating.

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by Warren

Sorry, but I don't understand why there is any need to introduce Paris Hilton into this discussion. Comparisons between her and Diana only serve to trivialise Diana and consign her to the "famous for being famous" niche of supermarket trash mag notoriety, and that's rather self-defeating.

I understand. My thoughts expressed in my previous post is that exept their blond hair, they have absolutely nothing in common.

[CasiraghiTrio]

I voted no. Much as I appreciate Diana's life and work, there are just too many women of XX who either tie or seem to be arguably "more famous".
I don't understand how Paris Hilton ever entered this discussion because I don't see any similarity there at all.
Diana married a future King, gave birth to his heirs. Diana made arguably her greatest mark on the Landmines debate. I don't see any hints of the "Simple Life" star there.