The Archivist

Friday, 22 April 2011
What TIME is it?

Rain and Jay Chou have topped the 2011 Time 100 Poll results, way ahead of Barack Obama (46) and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (129) in a list that even Angela Merkel and Paul Krugman didn't make. Now we understand Lee Kuan Yew when he said the "one-man-one-vote is a most difficult form of government ... Results can be erratic."

Well at least the official 2011 Time 100 by editors and thought leaders offers adequate redemption in conscience and celebrates the "artists and activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state and captains of industry" that really matter.

Nevertheless, while sometimes the experts really know best, it's high time social media deserved its due credit for having accelerated the democratisation of influence - a more open (I'm avoiding "flat" after reading about Globaloney) sphere where it's never easier to influence or be influenced. Small little people can and will, for better or worse, be heard more than ever.

I particularly enjoy this annual ranking; it's like an index of how much (or little) one knows about the world in the year passed. Say, I recognise 31 our of the 100 world influencers in 2011 (it was 28 in 2010). More to do to be acquainted with the like of Geoffrey Canada or Lamido Sanusi.

There's a new kid on the block this year - Joel Stein's Time 100 most influential things in the world. A pretty witty and captivating piece, with a really added dimension to the meaning of "things." Not sure if I'm gonna be a fan should this list continue next year, but I've already found a few favourite things:

2. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant's reactor core
Worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Worst Gilbert Gottfried disaster since 9/11.

18. The debt ceiling
If they called it a "debt roof," people would be way more excited about raising it.

19. Conflict minerals
Not as sexy as blood diamonds but still pretty sexy.

20. Birth certificates
In the age of Photoshop, people still want to see them.

22. No-fly zones
If you need proof that we live in an ugly time: the great 1990s euphemism for not having sex is the 2010s euphemism for war.

28. Greece
Hadn't heard from the Greeks in 2,400 years. Turns out they were spending a lot of money.

75. Pelicans
Making people care about oil spills.

80. Sexting
After Tiger Woods, people were predicting its decline. But it's destroying the lives of Brett Favre, Congressman Christopher Lee and high school girls everywhere.

82. 3-D everything
3-D has taken over movies, television, porn, video games and even real life.

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