Top Minds is a weekly series chronicling the diverse range of people who inhabit the planet’s most popular online forum.
As of 2017, Reddit boasts over 9,000 subreddits spanning countless topics with about 330 million monthly users.
Who are some “top minds of reddit“?
This week’s list includes an engineer turned photographer, a world-travelling photographer, and a chief voice for sustainable fashion on the forum.
We also have some entrepreneurs who have built lifestyle empires by selling on Reddit–ranging from peanut butter to flashlights–as well as one of the most famous members in history.
Below is a list of some (but not all!) of the Reddit Top Minds.
1. Emma Watson
She is more than Harry Potter’s Hermione Granger. Emma Watson has been named as a United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador and is known for taking a vocal stance on issues of gender equality.
Her most popular AMA thread, “Gender equality is your issue too” received more than 36,000 comments and questions. The second-most popular thread, “What birthday present would mean the most to you right now?” received roughly 17,000 comments and questions.
2. Clintus
He’s been a photographer since he was 13 years old. He has sold over 60,000 photos to three different magazines and has been featured in National Geographic and the BBC.
He is also a cult internet celebrity that enjoys selling products on Reddit, including peanut butter and flashlights.
3. Shoshanna
She had been a barista for two years in Seattle before deciding to pursue photography full-time. She has also been featured on other Reddit threads such as “What are you working on these days?”
During her AMA she talked about the impact of social media in the fashion industry which was highlighted in this article from The Atlantic.
4. Loomer
A self-proclaimed “internet tough guy,” Loomer has been shooting photos for the National Geographic website since he was 16. He’s known for his street portraits of celebrities including Justin Timberlake and Selena Gomez.
He currently runs a creative firm and is one of several Redditors who own the now-famous flashlight company called Lumedyne.
5. Astra Taylor
Astra Taylor is an author, filmmaker and academic who focuses on global politics, mass media, digital culture and capitalism in the context of U.S. foreign policy.
Her most popular AMA got 1,000 comments with 18% of them being from women making it a very female-friendly thread.
She was also recently featured in an article on Public Radio International’s website, The Takeaway, which talked about her book “The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age.”
6. Tony Robbins
Who knows the best way to get motivated? Tony Robbins did just that when he hosted his AMA on Reddit and received over 3,400 comments and questions on topics such as investing and productivity. He also posted a video on Youtube of himself giving a motivational talk entitled “The Art of Motivation.”
7. J.J. Abrams
J.J. Abrams is best known for his work as a screenwriter, producer, and director of several hit TV shows and movies such as “Alias,” “Lost,” “Felicity,” and this summer’s mega-blockbuster, “Star Trek: Into Darkness.”
During the AMA he shared his insights on the two industries he’s most associated with: film and television, which was featured in a Forbes article entitled “Some J.J. Abrams Thoughts About Screenwriting And Getting Work Done In Hollywood.”
8. Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson is a clinical psychologist at the University of Toronto and his AMA was featured on several news outlets including Inside Higher Ed, NPR, The Atlantic and The New York Times.
For someone who runs a popular psychology site based on self-help advice he had a very edgy AMA thread that dealt with topics such as abortion, the right-wing perspective of crime in Sweden and the potential end to human civilization.
9. Mike Shinoda
Better known as the co-founder, vocalist and keyboardist of Linkin Park, Shinoda did an AMA after he wrote “Post Traumatic,” which is his first solo album since his bandmate, Chester Bennington’s suicide in July 2017.
The AMA was featured on the Alternative Press and LPLive websites, and covered topics such as Shinoda’s childhood, his last conversation with Bennington, the role of therapy, and his creative process.
10. Olivia Munn
Known for her role as a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” Munn also appeared in “Attack of the Show!” and co-hosted G4’s “Attack of the Show!” as well as MTV’s “The Attack.”
On top of that she’s been in movies such as Iron Man 2 and Magic Mike. In her Reddit AMA she answered questions about her ancestry and shared stories about her experiences filming The Newsroom.
