By now it's common knowledge that history is written by the winners.
But it's also written by the swooners, the myth-makers and exaggerators, the ones who turn a blind eye to the ugly parts of the bio.
Indeed, the “winners" have some selective imaginations.
The great heroes, for all the historically influential deeds, were hardly. Even the saints weren't.
u/HotfoxK asked, "Who is the most overrated figure in history?"
Hype Tomb
King Tut
Really wasn't all that of an important pharaoh and is only well known because a dude named Howard Carter found his tomb and showed his treasure around the world
Dial Down the Penis Talk, Man
Sigmund Freud
His impact on psychology is largely overstated and most if not all of his research and claims are not recognized by modern psychology.
A good equivalent would be comparing him to astrology. Fun to read and think about, but don't take it too seriously.
Sounds Like Grad School
Thomas Edison
Guy was the absolute biggest douche and a good portion of his patents were stolen from his apprentices and students
Frequently Disremembered Racism
FDR
First he interred Asian Americans, actual citizens. We complain about Trump and his detention centers, but they legally aren't allowed to be here. Not saying it is right, but you can't love FDR and complain about border camps.
He refused to accept Jews who he knew would be killed.
He helped create red lining that has caused most, if not all, of the systemic racism in housing.
Panic Move, Woodrow
Woodrow Wilson
He was a racist and a sexist, and was pretty incompetent with the whole WW1 treaty, where he basically got walked all over by Congress and the others in the Big 4.
Hell of a Set of Jowls, Though
Winston Churchill
The guy had a couple successful years, even that's arguable. The rest was steeped in failure, bloodshed and ash.
Not Exactly a Healer
Mother Teresa
She was a sadist who thought poor people were better off suffering because their was purity in their suffering or other such bullocks (making her status as a kindhearted person incredibly ironic).
Peace and Independence, For Some
Gandhi
He was a racist (he wrote letters to Hitler and they began with "Dear friend"), he forced his lady companions to have enemas daily.
One Fish, Two -- Wait, what?
Dr Seuss. He only started writing children's books because his porn didn't sell. He based his Grinch character on himself. Cheated on his wife while she was ill with cancer, she committed suicide over it, writing in her note to him that "I cannot conceive of life without you". He later married the mistress.
The Less Than Wonderful World of Disney
Walt Disney was a racist, sexist, Nazi-sympathizing plagiarist who stiffed his workers.
Virtually everything positive that has ever been attributed to the man was shamelessly stolen from someone else... up to and including Mickey Mouse, who was the creation of an animator by the name of Ub Iwerks. The fellow whose empire now controls a sizeable chunk of the world's entertainment was essentially a media-focused reincarnation of Thomas Edison.
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
@CNN/Instagram
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images