Forget all the magazine and TV polls and lists. What do YOU think is the greatest moment of the Millenium?

I'd have to go with all the medical advancements made in the 20th century. Why? Because, we've discovered more in the past 100 years, than was discovered in the 900 years before.

I suppose the greatest moment will be when people learn to run surveys in a decent manner (and no, I'm not picking on people here).

Consider what just asking the right question with the right options can do and/or avoid. Remember the "New Coke" fiasco? The really short summary is they asked "Do you prefer this old cola or this new one?" and got something like 70% preferred the new one and 30% the old one; they start making the "New Coke" just to see profits going away; they find out rather late that, one: the "old Coke" crowd bought more than twice the amount of soda than the other group and two: an awful lot of the people on the "new Coke" crowd didn't even like colas, not to mention the people who didn't use to buy sodas at all. But they had to choose one, they picked "new" and there you have it. Had they bothered to ask more questions and/or have an "other" option they would have saved an awful lot of money and embarrassment with the return of the "Classic Coke."

I think better surveys will allow us to know our true selves and contribute to a better society and standard of living (once we know that most people pretend to be "nice" while doing the "bad" things we may concentrate more energy on being ourselves/changing for the better/doing stuff than on pretending). Much to the chagrin of the conservative crowds.

anonymous: Um, could I get the short version please? I'm suddenly feeling intellectually inadequate.

First man in space, IMHO

The invention of the printing press.

the moment when the lights all go out

Humans landing on the moon.

Too many worthy candidates, but this question set me to appreciating them. Thanks. :)

The first time my SO took my hand and looked deeply into my eyes and kissed me.

the moment/event that probably affected *me* the most...good/bad all in one...the europeans colonizing the u.s.

When the first picture of the entire earth from space came back. I think that picture has done more to raise awareness of how precious our planet is than anything else.

I was going to say something like that, too, mandy, but I don't think he means a personal moment.

I can't really comment, seeing as how I've only been alive for the last quarter of it.

fooyun, you've been alive for 250 years? Wow.

Twist: Very eloquent. And certainly it goes beyond what I had originally intended to see when I created this survey. I'm impressed, and also moved. Of course, I always was a hopeless romantic.

December 5, 1979. Mariah is born. That's when it really got interesting for me.

The moment the first Guttenberg (sp?) Bible came off the printing press.

Any moment where a war or conflict ended, and people became free as a result.

When the largest percentage of people everywhere are happy with their lot.

the moment everyone stops obsessing over it.

Woodstock

the end of all hype

man on moon.....victory in world war 2

Oops, I meant century. :P

The most influential or the happiest moment? Most influential would be World War I because it started the competitiveness for new technology. The fight between the United States and Russia began. The entire world started really concentrating on how to build new and better machines.
If you mean the happiest moment in the Millennium, it would have to be Woodstock. Great bands, one place, equals one hell of a party.

Lauren: I'm certainly no expert but I'd say WW I merely escalated a competitiveness which was already present (though I still agree WW I was hugely influential)

I don't know about you, but I kind of enjoy it when someone develops another (and usually more interesting) meaning out of one my surveys. The way Lauren looked a it wasn't what I had in mind, but it is an excellent point.

The point I was trying to make on WWI is that although new technology was being developed before the war, it was the WWI that escalated the competitiveness. Such things as the Jet. Before the war there was few airplanes, and few thought that they could ever go as fast as the ones developed during the war. Another thing that was developed was chemical warfare. Although I don't agree with the concept, I do think it has become a major maneuver used today.

I'm hardly one to determine what the greatest moment of the past thousand years might have been, but if I had to pull an answer out of my ass I guess I'd say the fall of the Soviet Union. What do I know from the greatest moment of the Millennium?

After reading the many excellent answers here, I've got to change mine to the invention of the printing press, no doubt in my mind.

Yeah, the printing press has touched just about everything that has happened since, including the internet.

Another fact that should be considered is the fall of the Roman Empire.

I think this was a really good survey, which led to some really cool answers, and I am surprised that it has a below-50 ranking. Do people automatically ding essay questions?

we automatically ding Brian surveys.

I rated this good.

low scores for Brian are built into Survey Central!

WHEN WE WON WW2.

Um... I thought the fall of the Roman Empire was in like 500ad or something? ie definitely not in the last 1000 years...?

Alen: nobody won WWII.

Humankind's travel to the moon.