The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them not by their contemporaries

How is greatness of an individual is defined? Greatness of a person is defined by his work for which he is remembered. It is unjust to say that the people who live after them has the right to decide greatness of an individual. Even people who were the part of that great era have also have the right to decide. I personally disagree with the statement that the greatness of an individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries.

Many great people are there who where critized by their contemporaries and the society for their radical and creative new innovations in their era, but later they are remembered and are revered for their creative innovations. There are lot of famous scientist like the Graham Bell who was criticized to the invention of telephone, the society called his invention as "hum bell". The theory explained by Charles Darwin about the evolution of man from apes, at that time no one give him so much importance but later when it was scientifically proven, today he his remembered as The Father of Evolution. Another example, Galileo Galilee , who proposed the theory that the Earth revolve around the Sun, Earth is not flat, Earth is not at the center of the universe, he was exempted by his society for his radical and heretical theory.

But, there are people who are remembered by their contemporaries. The famous writer Shakespeare, who's various stories were the part of theater performance, was highly praised by his contemporaries. Famous artist and painter like Leonardo Da Vinci, Mozart and many other where revered by their contemporaries in their time, and till today also they are remembered for their skills.

The greatness of an individuals by his contemporaries can be well defined in army, where after the loss of the dauntless and brave soldier. So, they are in a better position to decide the greatness of the soldier than that of the future generation who have not seen a war don't know what the loss of soldier meant.

Therefore, it can be concluded not only the people who are born after the great individuals can decide the greatness but also the person who are their contemporaries have equal right to decide it.