Dinner party

So, I just did that Facebook thing - "5 dead people you'd like to have a dinner party with" or whatever the thing is called, and I got to tell you, I find the idea fascinating. Not in the, who I'd have for dinner, but more in the, "What would these people do in our time?" way of thinking. What would happen to the people you picked, plucked out of time and put here today? How would they adjust?

I picked some doosies: Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Paine and James Monroe. Can you imagine that dinner party? But I wonder how these folks would fair in today's clime.

First, I think Franklin would probably adapt easiest. In fact, he'd probably get a kick out of blogging. I can image that Fried Kite Ideas would be more popular than Instapundit or HuffPo. His only drawback is that his wit may be to sly for his own good.

While Hamilton and Monroe's copious writings helped establish our federal government, I fear that they'd face an audience today that doesn't care to read such detailed analyses. While they'd put out tons of high-quality work on their websites, their hits would be meager in comparison to the Franklin juggernaut. So, they'd eventually find their way onto TV and probably wind up on a Hannity and Colmes-style opinion-based talk show. And it'd rock.

I see Paine having problems adjusting to modern life. He'd probably be both frustrated and elated to see so many of his philosophies taken so far into the future. I'm not sure if he'd try to write further analysis based on observations he'd make now or drink himself into a coma over how we've perverted the original concepts.

Adams would fare best politically, I think. Can you imagine the kind of political action committee or lobbyist group he could put together? Of course, it would be best if he had Abby by his side.

So, who would you have for dinner and how'd they adjust?