TIME Magazine Made A Controversial Choice For Person Of The Year Today And Twitter Erupted In Debate
No one is safe from Twitter's scrutiny, not the nominees, the runners-up, or the winners.
TIME Magazine has announced the winner of their 2018 Person of the Year award and the Internet's reaction is priceless, as per usual.
Many people are pleased with the magazine's choice to honour "The Guardians of Truth" — journalists and other media personnel that have been fighting the so-called "war on truth" that has been unquestionably creeping through the United States in this current politcal climate.
But of course, as Twitter will always show, not everyone is in agreement.
TL;DR TIME Magazine announced the winner of their Person of the Year award today and Twitter reacted in classic form. There was also much discussion over the shortlist of candidates, which included the likes of Donald Trump and Meghan Markle.
See every TIME Person of the Year cover throughout history #TIMEPOY https://t.co/sObfCCzN8r pic.twitter.com/IjBCDOxA7N
— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2018
At first sight, it seems most people are in agreement that Khashoggi and others that try to "shine the journalistic light" are a fantastic and honourable choice by TIME Magazine.
Always keep the journalistic light shining brightly. Jamal Khashoggi, person of the year is an excellent award by @timemagazine https://t.co/pgLVcOmW1I
— A Dunlop Landscapes (@alanfdunlop) December 11, 2018
Not only are journalists the guadians of "truth," but also democracy. Because they do the necessary work to keep the electorate informed. They guide and aid democracy to be the best it can be.
Kudos to Time Magazine for highlighting free press “Guardians” as Person of the Year. Despotism is the enemy of the people. The free press is the despot’s enemy, which makes the free press the guardian of democracy. https://t.co/yD1CNr34WO
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) December 11, 2018
Happy to see Time Magazine’s #PersonOfTheYear honor the guardians of truth rather than someone who consistently disregards it. https://t.co/zlbfs0xXRN
— Mike Levin (@MikeLevinCA) December 11, 2018
A democracy is in grave danger when those in power work to misinform citizens or silence media outlets that are attempting to provide information backed by facts.
When I saw Time Magazine Person Of The Year trending I thought “it should be Jamal Khashoggi” and lo and behold it is! Perfect choice. The flame of justice is in danger of being extinguished by the winds of authoritarian monsters, but it’s still burning.
— Steve Redmond (@sjredmond) December 11, 2018
Journalists are NOT the "Enemy of the People." They are the Guardians of the TRUTH. Thanks to Time Magazine for recognizing them and Jamal Khashoggi as Person of the Year.@realDonaldTrump: be a MAN and congratulate them.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) December 11, 2018
OR, just SUCK IT!
https://t.co/gt0ZiI3Txa
Others don't agree with a magazine naming journalists as the person of the year...
Wait. ..so journalists have picked....journalists for Person of the Year?
— William (@LastWordWilliam) December 11, 2018
The 2018 Time Magazine Person of the Year is the most self-congratulatory thing I’ve seen since George Clooney’s 2006 Oscar Speech
— R. M. S. Thornton (@RMSThornton) December 11, 2018
While the decision to choose various journalists may seem self-congratulatory, TIME did not actually name themselves. Instead, what they've done is highlighted the importance of these individuals when political figures like Putin and Trump continuously fight to win out as the most globally influential voices.
In the most 2018 move ever, journalists name themselves person of the year. pic.twitter.com/jmOjk5xTv7
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) December 11, 2018
Shocker journalists picking their own for person of the year. Except they're not journalist just propaganda puppets.
— ✟🇺🇸𝕊ⓠ𝕦𝕝𝕗𝕦𝕝 ℙ𝕒𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕥🇺🇸✟ (@soulnourished) December 11, 2018
It's an easy joke to make, so of course people on Twitter are making it:
{\__/}
— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) December 11, 2018
( • . •) Who wants to be
/ > 🏆> person of the year?!
{\__/}
( •- •) Never mind
🏆< \ We are.
Many Americans are doubley disappointed that Trump didn't win, or perhaps with the fact that TIME picked a Saudi national.
"Person of the Year" So, #FakeNews is @Time's person of the year. Typical.
— triggerpoint2018 (@triggerpoint201) December 11, 2018
Others question the moral integrity of Khashoggi as well as the suspicious details of his death...
Did they just name a Muslim Brotherhood guy the person of the year? Say it isn't so.
— Darren Gaskin (@kentuckyrunner) December 11, 2018
So #America helped with the killing of Time's person of the year?
— Justin Huff (@C4YerSelf) December 11, 2018
Many people think some of the nominees were a total joke...
So I hear that Meghan was shortlisted for Time magazine Person of the year but didn’t win.
— HRM Elizabeth ll 💦 (@HrmQueene) December 11, 2018
I guess because she didn’t do anything but shag a rich guy!#PersonOfTheYear
Shall we all applause for #meghan_markle for being #personoftheyear2018 nominee for MARRYING! What an extraordinary act that happens every million year👏
— جَـنى يحيـى البـَابـا| Jana Al Baba (@JanayAlbaba1) December 10, 2018
It seems fair to question Meghan Markle's inclusion when looking at it through the lens of "what has she done?"
Was looking at the list for the Time Magazine person of the year and noticed that Valdimir Putin was on it. Really?
— Michael Ball (@Michael44004861) December 10, 2018
This is the right choice.
— Salty Mom (@saltymom51) December 11, 2018
Still can't believe Meghan Markle was on the list, for marrying a prince? pic.twitter.com/9oV2Y8RLmC
However, the reality of her nomination is the discussion that she spurred. The question is less, "what has she done?" and more, "What does she stand for?" — in terms of being a black, divorced, American actress that found herself in Kensington Palace amongst the Royal family, of which she is now a part.
A huge part of the Twitter storm was complete disbelief with some of the nominations that seemed more than a little off-base...
Interesting how KP posted no clips of Meghan's speech last night and they have not mentioned her nomination as Person of the Year from Time.
— VeryModernMeghan👑♠️🇺🇸🇬🇧 (@VeryModernMegha) December 11, 2018
TIME's Person of the Year shortlist:
— Caleb Hull 🎅🏼🌲🎁 (@CalebJHull) December 10, 2018
• "separated families"
• Putin
• Mueller
• Dr. Ford
• March for Our Lives activists.
You know who's not on their list? Peter Wang, who died during the Parkland shooting while holding a door open for dozens of his classmates to escape. pic.twitter.com/sOWdw8Zkwk
Some people failed to recognize that the award is not the Nobel Peace Prize, but is instead a commentary on who dominated headlines throughout the year.
This is why I don't buy this junk of a magazine. Donald "Wacko" Trump and Vladimir "The Murder" Putin as Person of the year? R u kidding me! I'd wipe my behind with this magazine
— Evela cortez (@evelacortez) December 10, 2018
If @TIME names Trump or Putin person of the year, I'm diving off of this planet into a black hole.
— Caroline Rodrigues (@Carrieisking) December 11, 2018
Luckily, neither Putin nor Trump were named winner, and instead their direct opposition was given a moment to shine.
Vive la presse libre!