On the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and just days before the anniversary of John F Kennedy’s assassination, a Guardian editorial praised 'the wise ones', the sort of big thinkers who produced the works and ideas we still admire today:  This Friday is the 50th anniversary of the deaths of John F Kennedy, Aldous Huxley and CS Lewis, as well as the centenary of Benjamin Britten. Reputations may fluctuate, but the great composer, the near great president, and the two English intellectuals in search of spiritual enlightenment had some things in common. They all confronted what is evil in mankind and they all offered a message of hope … In their different ways they were wise – and we still need their wisdom.  Kennedy, Britten, Huxley and Lewis were all undoubtedly brilliant and wise, and their words (or in Britten’s case, music) will continue to enlighten generations to come. But we see room for revision here.  First of all, there are no women on that list. Second, though “we still need their wisdom”, we inhabit a different time than these intellectual readers – Britten was born a century ago. Different times that require a different kind of wisdom. The world has certainly produced “wise ones” since Kennedy, but we often fail to recognize the sagacity of our contemporaries because we’re still indebted to the minds of the past.  In the 21st century, we’ve rewritten the rules of what it means to be wise. You could consider spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama and literary heavyweights like Salman Rushdie and JK Rowling. But don’t count out tech titans like Steve Jobs or new warriors in the fight for women’s equality such as Sheryl Sandberg. Don’t be afraid to nominate some unconventional choices – just present a good case for their inclusion.  And of course, if you learned more from your grandmother or high school football coach than you have from any public figure of the last 50 years, we would love to hear more about them as well. Simply fill out the form below for a chance to have your entry featured on the Guardian:
We’ve produced some great minds in the past few decades. Conventional or otherwise, tell us who you think they are