Personal Icons and Celebrities

There's likely a few figures who have been highly influential or important to you throughout your life, I can certainly say that there has been for me.  It's something I find interesting to think about, and lately I've been thinking about not only some of the people I'd love to meet, but thoughts on why and how it came to be those people.

Growing up I watched a lot of Bill Nye the Science Guy and several shows with the Kratt Brothers, who had educational shows about wildlife, so I started watching informational and educational entertainment from a young age.  Bill Nye has been someone that for most of my life I've described as someone I would love the opportunity to meet.  Broadcast television wasn't a strong source of entertainment for me, and in 2006, a major change started with YouTube.

I mostly ignored the phenomenon of YouTube for quite some time, mostly reducing it to stupid videos of little importance - which was more of a short-sighted comment on its use, rather than the tool itself.  Some six or seven years later, I found myself visiting YouTube more frequently, as I had discovered a myriad of content that was not only informative, but educational as well.  This EduTube, the "educational" side of YouTube, contains most of the other people I find a personal desire to meet.

Why is that though?  Like, why do I want to meet them?  I think there's a lot of things at work, one of which I think ties to the idea that they are of personal influence to me, possibly being a desire to have a direct personal experience/interaction with said influence.  Shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy helped my love of learning as a youth grow, and shows like It's Okay to Be Smart and SciShow help me stay curious when my daily life has shifted away from schooling and education.  I've thanked my parents and friends for the work they did in helping me become the person I am, and I'd love the opportunity to personally thank some of the other people who helped shape that journey.

I believe another reason I'd like to meet these people is that I imagine they would be fascinating to talk to, and while I can't say there's any reason to think they'd enjoy meeting me, I'd like to imagine that the conversations would be amazing.  I don't think I'm alone in a desire to meet personal icons or celebrities, and each person's list ends up being not only different, but an interesting look into who they are and what's important to them.

Trot On Everypony,
Alturiigo

My List of People I'd Like to Meet:
John Green
Bill Nye
Mike Rugnetta
Joe Hanson
The VSauce Squad(Micheal Stevens, Kevin Lieber, and Jake Roper)
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Lindsey Doe

Have your own list? Leave it in the comments!