Showing posts with label Time Magazine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Time Magazine. Show all posts

Thursday, January 6, 2011

ON CHOOSING PERSON OF THE YEAR

This year the Time Magazine chose Face Book CEO Mark Zuckerberg as Person of the year bypassing Julian Assange who got more votes than any one else in the race. He has almost become an hero and a familiar name the world over with his stunning Leaks. Everyone thought that Assange would be chosen by Time.

Time editor Richard Stengel has something else to say on the peoples' choice. He is of opinion that the people are thinking with a short-term vision as Assange would fade from the radar within a short while whereas Facebook founder would remain in the scene for a long time to come and hence the Time chose a man of more substance.

He did not explain if general public are unreliable why the Magazine invited their opinion in the first place. It was easy for the editorial Board to choose a person by themselves. A lot of public resentment could also have been avoided.

All said, I think the Editor's choice this year was wise and safe. Especially safe, because Assange was almost in Jail when the name of the " Person of the Year" announced and it would have been quite embarrassing for the Magazine to name someone in a British Jail as its 'best person'

Besides, no one knew whether Julian Assange is to be taken seriously as an outstanding guy.

However, the criterion on which a person of the year is chosen is still not defined properly.