Outside of family members, who has had the biggest influence on your life and why?

Outside of family members, my office mates and close friends have had the biggest influence on my life primarily because I happened to be spending most of my waking hours interacting with them in both official and personal capacity. I used to stay at work for at least 12 hours everyday; thus, one can just imagine how our group has been communicating via intranet, meetings and seminars, telephones, mobile phones, field works, chit chat over lunches, etc..

After some years of working together, most of these office mates have also ended up being close friends. Exchanging of ideas about office matters, latest political news, family issues, movies, books, etc. , has become a norm, an enjoyable and anticipated activity. Even on weekends, special bonding can happen at birthday parties, anniversaries, outings, sports events, etc.. We eventually and effectively have become an extended family.

I would say that since I was of an age that I had enough intelligence to think for myself and develop my own opinions away from my parents (about 14/15) My family have had the Least influence on my life. We are close and have a good relationship, but I don't agree with many of their views and beliefs. I have some values and views I have picked up from friends.

But what has the most influence on my life is probably books, famous people I admire, and politics. :).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.