Warlock:
One of my points is these people who you name are only six people. Those who's names are written down in history are a very tiny percentage of all the people that have ever, or will ever live.
And those who have lived are in turn a tiny percentage of those who might have lived. They should count themselves lucky.
What about everyone else? You cannot tell me that there are others who did not have the same talents, although dormant in some cases, I'm sure, as these people? What about those who worked just as hard, but got no recognition? What about those who had the same ideas, but were born at the wrong time? What about those born in the wrong place?
Your question seems to boil down to: "Why isn't everything wonderful for everybody all the time?" As a materialist, I see no reason why it should be, as much as I might want it. We can choose to make it better and help more people realise their potential. We can't do everything but we can do something.
Concerning being remembered by your friends and family, to what generation? And how many in your family have been forgotten thru the passing of time?
Most have been forgotten, no doubt, but their DNA still jostles around and gets to combine in new and interesting ways. After the stories stop being told, that may be all we have.
I do not disagree that you can't live a full and productive life in the short period of time that you have here on earth. I do not think those you named above had meaningless lives. It's just that I cannot agree that this very short period of time is all we have as some type of conscious being.
I'm aware that you believe it is not the case that this life is it. But that's a separate discussion. My point in this thread is that even if it is the case, that is not cause for despair. I'd love to win the lottery or otherwise become rich. But I'm not going to think my life is pointless because it's not ideal. I earn enough to get by. I'd like to be able to live longer - maybe even forever, I'm not sure. Hell, I'd like to be able to fly or travel through time. But wishing doesn't make it so. And my inability to do any of those things shouldn't stop me enjoying the things I can do.