In 2010, we saw challenges that required a fool’s readiness to undertake Sisyphean tasks. We faced the biggest oil spill in our country’s history, the grim prospect that our jobs weren’t coming back (at least not for a while), and a cantankerous political climate that stifled progress.
Which is why for this, our inaugural Good Men of the Year list, we’re not celebrating memorable personalities, newly minted pop-culture icons, or 15-minute men. This was a year of unprecedented challenges, and it cried out for good men.
Men who inspired us to do better.
Men who wouldn’t settle for incremental improvements—and who were willing to make sacrifices for bona fide progress.
Men who embraced failure as a necessary ingredient in their success.
Men who would rather be called an asshole than ineffectual.
This year, it wasn’t just our ideas that mattered, but how we shared them. Our networks—from an online community of innovators, to educators on neglected blocks in Harlem, to a civilization 2,000 feet underground—became catalysts for change.
We learned that the smallest germ of an idea could grow contagious and develop into a viral phenomenon. So we rolled up our sleeves, opened our computers, and started to think.
What follows are just 10 of the many men who made their world a better place in 2010. So tell us: who would be on your top 10 list?
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The Top 10 Good Men of 2010
10) Josh Hamilton
9) Chris Christie
8 ) The Chilean Miners
7) Mick Foley
6) David Beckmann
5) Barack Obama
4) The Billionaires Who Pledged Their Fortunes
3) Dan Savage
2) Chris Anderson
1) Geoffrey Canada
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What about Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks crew? The man (and his team, which includes a handful of women) has been assaulted as of late in the mainstream media, sure, but he’s blazing a trail in the freedom of information movement and upping government transparency like it’s his job (probably, of course, because it is). Or even Bradley Manning, the guy who leaked the Afghanistan logs and is now facing ridiculous imprisonment. Other than that, good picks!
Cheers to Chris Anderson at #2. He has been a fantastic inspiration for me. TED is an organization men will look back upon in wonder.
Obama, why for driving the country into the brink of bankruptcy and socialism.
What the hell did David Beckham do?
Zuckerman individually should be on the list
Todd Palin should be on the list, he is an Alaskan sports figure with some great accomplishments and work ethic
What about George W. Bush
Oil spill not as bad as everyone predicted
The Chilean Miners absolutely
I don’t see Glenn Beck who amassed a large crowd on 8/28 against the odds and it turned out for good
You definitely missed these guys…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topos_de_Tlatelolco
Message to Governor Christie from the Oregon Tea Party: We love you, big guy!
Chris Christie? Are you insane?!? The man who is RUINING public education (and not lowering property taxes) in order to weaken the Teachers Union? This is absolutely ridiculous and he will be a 15 minute man because he’s also attacking NJ’s police force and our fire fighters.
Spoken like a true teacher.
Obama? Seriously?? He is a war criminal, just like Bush. Lock him up and throw away the key. Here’s hoping that we can elect a truly progressive candidate in 2012!
Somehow I just knew that they first comment would be an anti Obama rant, it always is.
And yet I don’t hear you denying that he is – in fact – guilty of war crimes. We don’t even have to argue about all of the things he has done – or NOT done – here in the states. The fact that he is a war criminal alone should instantly nullify his being included on this list. Just say’n…
Your opinion, and you are certainly entitled to it. I just think that, in keeping with the spirit of the original article here, it would have been nice to have found at least one positive thing that one of those ten men had done and commented on that instead. Just say’n…