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Help[Opinions] Edison was not a nice man.
in reply to a message by rooster
He employed goons to beat up his competition, stole ideas from other people and more or less ran a criminal organization.
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Replies
Yes, but most people would only think of him as an inventor.
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I don't know about this.
I thought of him solely as an inventor until I went to college, and that's when the truth came out. This is a case of someone who was previously respected slowly but surely falling out of that spot. Edison's antics were brought up in science class, in sociology class and especially my film classes. At some point the kid is going to have a class where Edison is discussed and it's not going to be favorable.
I thought of him solely as an inventor until I went to college, and that's when the truth came out. This is a case of someone who was previously respected slowly but surely falling out of that spot. Edison's antics were brought up in science class, in sociology class and especially my film classes. At some point the kid is going to have a class where Edison is discussed and it's not going to be favorable.
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I've never heard that about him
And I'm educated, so not sure how I missed it. Proves that average joe more than likely doesn't know he wasn't a nice guy, either.
And I'm educated, so not sure how I missed it. Proves that average joe more than likely doesn't know he wasn't a nice guy, either.
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Agreed
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Hm.
I'll ask around then and see. I know that I took a lot of film classes and they talked about how Edison destroyed studios and what-not...I don't know.
I'll ask around then and see. I know that I took a lot of film classes and they talked about how Edison destroyed studios and what-not...I don't know.
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I only learned about Edison twice in school: once, in elementary school, when we briefly went over his life and accomplishments, then in college, where we discussed his contributions to the film industry. I learned he was kind of a bastard, too, but that was later, after I had read a book about him.
Anyway, ask random strangers on the street about Edison and I guarantee they still wouldn't zero in on what a horrible person he was. Some might, but most would likely talk about the fact that he was an inventor first (and I bet a few would insist he invented the light bulb). Let's face it, a lot of people tend to forget what they learned in school, or never received a quality education in the first place...but that's a post for another day.
Anyway, ask random strangers on the street about Edison and I guarantee they still wouldn't zero in on what a horrible person he was. Some might, but most would likely talk about the fact that he was an inventor first (and I bet a few would insist he invented the light bulb). Let's face it, a lot of people tend to forget what they learned in school, or never received a quality education in the first place...but that's a post for another day.
This message was edited 4/4/2011, 3:13 PM
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Also...
...the fact that Edison "stole" ideas from other people doesn't make him unique. Eli Whitney didn't come up with system of interchangeable parts- a Frenchman beat him to it by about ten years. Henry Ford's engineers were the ones who conceived the assembly line. George Pullman did not invent the Pullman sleeping car. Whether these people "stole" their ideas from others or were simply smart enough to patent it before anyone else did is up for debate, but inventors have a history of doing this sort of thing. This doesn't make Edison unusual.
...the fact that Edison "stole" ideas from other people doesn't make him unique. Eli Whitney didn't come up with system of interchangeable parts- a Frenchman beat him to it by about ten years. Henry Ford's engineers were the ones who conceived the assembly line. George Pullman did not invent the Pullman sleeping car. Whether these people "stole" their ideas from others or were simply smart enough to patent it before anyone else did is up for debate, but inventors have a history of doing this sort of thing. This doesn't make Edison unusual.
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