The most famous photograph of our lifetime (so far)

[Downunder Dolphan]

The point I was making is that there are many pictures of Earth from space, or 9/11, or the Berlin Wall falling.  But there's only one mugshot of the former President of the United States.

And the point I made is that relatively few people outside of the USA think it's anywhere near as historically important as you do there.

[Dave Gray]

In other countries, for sure.  I think we're talking about to Americans....that was my assumption anyway.

[Spider-Dan]

And the point I made is that relatively few people outside of the USA think it's anywhere near as historically important as you do there.

The fact that people outside the US even know who Trump, Obama, Bush etc. is says a lot about the dynamic.
The vast majority of Americans would struggle to name the President of Mexico or the Prime Minister of Canada, to say nothing of the leaders in Africa, Asia, Australia, or Europe.

[masterfins]

Although just a couple years before my first cry, the photo of Lyndon Johnson being sworn in as President is pretty iconic.  As for mug shots O.J. Simpson's is/will be more memorable than Trump's; even though Time magazine doctored OJ's.

9/11 had a lot of memorable photos, I think the one with the second plane about to crash into the Tower is quite famous.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The fact that people outside the US even know who Trump, Obama, Bush etc. is says a lot about the dynamic.
The vast majority of Americans would struggle to name the President of Mexico or the Prime Minister of Canada, to say nothing of the leaders in Africa, Asia, Australia, or Europe.

That says more about American ignorance than importance.

[Spider-Dan]

That says more about American ignorance than importance.

Not exactly.  If someone from Canada can name the leader of the US or the UK, but not the leader of Indonesia, Nigeria, or Brazil, does that speak to Canadian ignorance, or does it merely indicate that people tend not to care about the leaders of countries that are not immediately relevant to them?

For better or worse, the president of the United States is relevant to many people on this planet, because the US makes it relevant by our decisions and outsized influence.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Not exactly.  If someone from Canada can name the leader of the US or the UK, but not the leader of Indonesia, Nigeria, or Brazil, does that speak to Canadian ignorance, or does it merely indicate that people tend not to care about the leaders of countries that are not immediately relevant to them?

For better or worse, the president of the United States is relevant to many people on this planet, because the US makes it relevant by our decisions and outsized influence.

One aspect is importance, but ignorance is the LARGER issue.  That most Americans can less than 5 and most Europeans can name a few dozen goes to ignorance,

[Dave Gray]

I don't really think it's fair.  Whether we like it or not, most of world politics, world finance, etc -- that stuff goes through America.  We have the most influence in the world by a lot.  Our policies affect a lot of small countries, so it's probably in their best interest to know our leadership and have opinions on us.  But it's just not true the other way around, outside of the major players like China, Russia, etc.

I am not pro ignorance, but all I'm saying is that I don't think it's apples to apples.

[masterfins]

Not exactly.  If someone from Canada can name the leader of the US or the UK, but not the leader of Indonesia, Nigeria, or Brazil, does that speak to Canadian ignorance, or does it merely indicate that people tend not to care about the leaders of countries that are not immediately relevant to them?

For better or worse, the president of the United States is relevant to many people on this planet, because the US makes it relevant by our decisions and outsized influence.

I agree.  I'm sure people in most countries know who Putin is, and maybe the leaders of China and the UK.

[masterfins]

One aspect is importance, but ignorance is the LARGER issue.  That most Americans can less than 5 and most Europeans can name a few dozen goes to ignorance,

I doubt Europeans are naming a few dozen, maybe the 5 more well known worldly leaders (like Biden, Putin, Jinping, Sunak, Kim Jong Un), then maybe a half dozen local countries - which is more like naming a couple US State Govenors.

[Downunder Dolphan]

But going back to the original post and question... the most famous photo image in our lifetime. All of us. Not just you in the USA. Not just me in Australia.

I still come back to those three moments (post mid-1969 when I was born). The moon landing. The fall of the Berlin Wall, and something from 9/11.

The Blue Marble is the only other thing that comes remotely close on a global scale (and probably only for geeks). After that, maybe something from Live Aid - as a symbol that we genuinely gave a shit about the most impoverished people on earth for one afternoon?

[Spider-Dan]

I agree that those are more famous events by a long shot, especially globally.  But there are lots of pictures of those events, and (outside of Neil Armstrong stepping on to the moon, which is before the lifetime of most posters here) there isn't really one definitive picture that represents the fall of the Berlin Wall, or 9/11.