I’m taking a short break from studying for a math final and writing a Chaucer research paper to rant about the stupidity of TIME’s Person of the Year. What used to be an award designated to a person who truly impacted world events in a great way, whether better or worse, is now a farce. It has become something to reward do-gooders even if their impact is miniscule. TIME used to be courageous enough to acknowledge that non-Americans can shape world events, and that even America’s enemy do too. But the magazine that named Hitler Person of the Year twice was too timid and fearful to name Osama Bin Laden Person of the Year in 2001- even though the decisions he made will forever mar that year in the world’s collective psyche. hereas they could’ve chosen Saddam Hussein in 2002 or 2003, they shied away from controversy. The seleciton of Bush in 2004 makes sense, and one could argue Bush deserved to win another one. THis year, the answer choice clearly should’ve been Ahmadenijad or Chavez. Their influence extends far beyond their nations, with Ahmadenijad playing a clear role in international nuclear politics and carrying heavy influence over the situations in AFghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon, as well as the oil market. Yet, TIME chose “You” which is bullshit because the world is no more citizen or consumer driven today as it was a few years ago. YouTube did not change the world, and it never will.

The selection of Rudy Giuliani in 2001 was retarded mostly because his impact was confined to the 20 million people of New York City, and even then, only in the last three months of the year. And even considering that, he didn’t do any better in his role as mayor of a terror-stricken city as I imagine Bloomberg or Villagairosa would do. The Enron whistleblowers likewise had a minimal effect on the lives of Americans outside of Enron Corp. or on international events outside of America. TIME has turned their designation as a title to reward good deeds, as the case of the enron whistleblowers and 2005’s Bono and Bill Gates award proves.

TIME- get a spine!