The question
Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
The Guardian's Q&A repeatedly uses this prompt, sometimes dropping 'living' while retaining the same comparative judgment.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
My nan. She lost her husband at the end of 2019 and over the past year she’s been in isolation, but every single week when we speak, she’s full of hope.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 March 2021 source ↗
Murray Perahia, because he is a great pianist, and temporarily lost the use of one hand, which prevented him from playing. His courage was beyond description.
Probably Daniel Barenboim. His blend of insane talent, intellect, and profound humanitarianism is one that comes along very, very rarely. I would put Martina Navratilova and Stephen Sondheim in a tie for second.
Sir David Attenborough, John Prendergast.
Two friends who work for the NHS, Jason and Kate. One is a paramedic and one has been moved to work in an ICU.
My wedding day last year. It was supposed to be 4 April and, in the end, it was 12 September.
I used to do silver service waitressing at parties and events. The job was great, but there was constant harassment and groping from older men, and I hadn’t found my voice yet. It’s terrifying when you are young and you need a job.
My younger self: I had no love for her and I was cruel and she never deserved it.
Spending over half my life under Tory rule.
A ballet dancer. I danced from age two to 19. Giving up was not a choice; I had complications in an ankle operation.
The thought of infinity.
Dan Aykroyd, Ben Kingsley, Sam Neill, Billie Piper, Nicholas Hoult, Mark Gatiss
Search the directory for somebody in particular.