Time named “The Protester” as the “Person of the Year” for 2011. Over the years, Time had several famous faceless avatars selected for the prestigious title of Person of the Year.
It is, without any doubt, a statement of the obvious fact. During entire year, protests around the world were at the spotlight and crowded the news channels. It all started with the 26-year-old Tunisian street vendor pouring paint thinner over his head and lighting a match. It still hasn’t ended.
With the “occupy” protesters still demanding change and Islamist winning in the elections in Egypt, only one thing is sure – the story of The Protester is not finished.
The recession of 2008 was nowhere in sight and it looked as if the credit lines could be extended forever.
Internet changed the way we communicate and collaborate allowing great joint accomplishments like Wikipedia to become a reality. Everybody could open a Blogger account and become instant journalist. It was all about you, your freedom of expression and unbelievable audience every single one of us could reach simply by creating a Facebook profile or a Second Life avatar.
In other words, YOU were important!
War in Iraq was won. Or was it? American soldiers are now withdrawing from Iraq but 1.4 million men and women are still serving their nation in 146 countries worldwide. They know the true costs of war and the price of peace. The American Soldier lives with, and dies for its country's decisions. They really embody the spirit portrayed by Rudyard Kipling:
“When first under fire an' you're wishful to duck,
Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is struck,
Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your luck
And march to your front like a soldier.”
Only 30 years ago, Time was clear that the computer is the way of the future. If there weren’t any personal computers, you would not be reading this now. The Computer revolutionized the way we work and the way we work. Without computers, world as we know it could not exist. You might easily say that, today, everything is a computer.
Your phone is a computer. Your car is run by a computer. Heck, even your microwave is a computer and the one probably more powerfully than those in use in 1982.
You are not surprised when the officer writing you a speeding ticket is a woman, but in those days, women were just starting to finally be acknowledged. It is no more surprising today to find women in a position of judges, military officers, business executives than to find them as dedicated mothers and housewives.
According to the 2010 U.S. census, more women attain bachelor’s degree than men.The difference between number of employed women and men is only 6 percent today. Compare this to the fact that this difference was 35 percent in 1975 and you will realize that Time made no mistake in selecting the bravest and strongest as their person of the year for 1975.
Yes, in those days, the title “common people” usually assumed people of this class. The group of people who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class is still called the “Middle Class” but their numbers are dwindling. The American middle class is estimated to be approximately 45 percent of the population while only a decade ago it was more than one half of total population.
However, average American is more resilient than usual and we will probably see this “person of the year” rise up and rule again.
Well, “occupy” protesters are in a way a response of the middle class to its troubles. In a way, this overview of Time’s faceless “Persons of the Year” made a full circle.
I have to say that whatever happens, I will be eagerly awaiting next Times faceless cover.
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