Vote for what doesn’t matter
Published by Yazad Jal February 23rd, 2005 in MediaWhat would you say when a media outlet exhorts readers to vote not based on the ability of the candidates in the fray, but on geographical location?
This isn’t about politics, but about the Indian Idol finals. But don’t shrug it off. Will you vote for someone in a game show just because he’s from your city? Or your region? or religion? or caste? or would you rather go on ability? And what do you think of a newspaper which prefers to toss out ability in favour of more sectarian reasons?
Well, this is the Mid-Day–which both exhilirates with its embedded coverage and exasperates with its cheap tawdryness (remember the Kareena-Shahid tongue touch on the front page?) I think Bombay’s got itself a classic tabloid–warts and all.
Update (March 21): I’m closing comments on this post. Not really interested in knowing more about silly fans of Amit and Abhijeet. Especially from those who confuse opinion with fact.
“Ability”? You mean ability to perform some objective function? Or you mean ability to provide some subjective value?
If it the latter then it doesn’t matter as each one can vote based on his own subjective judgement! No questions asked!
If it the former then we wouldn’t be having ordinary people doing the judgement. We would be having a panel of experts doing objective analysis and giving the judgement.
Will you vote for someone in a game show just because he’s from your city? Or your region? or religion? or caste? or would you rather go on ability? And what do you think of a newspaper which prefers to toss out ability in favour of more sectarian reasons?.
That depends on my individual perception of ability and the effect the result might have personally. If it is a talent contest and am a ‘not so talented’ mediocre SOB say in Madras, I might as well vote and convince others in Madras to vote for a guy from the city so that I might stand a chance next time around by precedent.
If I am a supremely talented guy in Madras, I might ask folks in Bombay to vote based on Talent and just that. I do not see a problem with either.
If it is a game show contest, there is no way a winner will be influencing my life in any way. (Except, may be, if he/she lands up in Bollywood and stars in an inane flick I happen to catch!!)
So, I will just vote for someone I like. And, while I am at it, I might as well make it interesting by wagering on him/her and earn something out of watching a game show! Ability and region be damned.
I couldn’t resist posting on this myself, you can read that here. My take on this:
Long before Mid Day started running this campaign, people were voting on the basis of other things than ability anyway. Consider how long Ravinder Ravi lasted, to the astonishment of the judges and fans, despite singing so badly. Apparently there was a pitched campaign for him in Ludhiana, and a legion of supporters shattered by his (well-deserved) defeat.
I’ve been watching the show from the start, and it’s interesting to see how vote banks of different people have shifted with their elimination. For example, Rahul Vaidya was the strongest candidate much of the way through, but while he is an excellent singer, he has a polarising personality: people tend to either like him or dislike him. The first category of people was strong when there were many candidates in the fray, as the second category’s votes got split. But as the candidates dropped out, the vote banks of the eliminated candidates shifted to people other than Rahul, and by the time there were four people left, he was no longer the leader, and was eliminated after the round of three.
Ditto Ravinder Ravi. He had his die-hard fans who kept him alive, but the votebank of every eliminated candidate shifted to other people, and his number of votes remained stable, until he was eventually eliminated.
But shouldn’t the winner be chosen on ability, you ask in consternation. Well yes, of course it should. But in reality, it can’t be that way with so many people voting. With most of the finalists being more or less equally good singers, one’s qualitative assessment of a singer tends to be swayed by subconscious biases, and the sum total of those biases ultimately makes the difference.
Both the finalists, for example, are excellent singers, and any difference in their abilities will be such a nuanced, technical one that only experts will be able to pass judgement on it, and even they may differ. Most of the people voting will effectively vote on the basis of other considerations, convincing themselves that their choice is the better singer, but actually swayed by other things. (The number of factors influencing that could range from where the singers are from, what kind of songs they sing, what kind of clothes they wear, how much the voter can empathise with them, and so on.)
So who will be the first Indian Idol? Abhijeet may win because he is taller and good looking. Amit Sana may win because he came second in the last round, and his followers may vote more desperately while Abhijeet’s may get a bit complacent. (One reason why this trend might be strong: Sana’s throat infection. His chances might actually get better if he sings badly, and they can’t be harmed, because everyone knows by now what a good singer he is.) I think most regular viewers of the show already know who they will vote for. It’s just a question of mobilising the base, which made such a huge difference in Bush v Kerry.
My two favourites among the final 11 were Rahul Saxena and Aditi Paul, though. I think Saxena lost out early because everybody assumed, including me, that he’s so damn good that one doesn’t need to waste an SMS or a phone call voting for him. Aditi just chose the wrong song, and had a bad day. Among people who didn’t make it to the final 11, I thought Sudeshna and Ronkini rocked.
While stating a fact, by the way, I am not proposing a value. Just because biases play a big part in determing such contests, I am not justifying it, or saying that should be the case. Of course the winner should be the person who is qualitatively the best. But who is to judge that?
Clearly this isn’t a “reality” show. For in real, one should be judging on talent. Here the judges themselves (except for Sonu Nigam) are inappropriate to judge a singing talent show. The indian audience which will obviously go crazy trying to sway the results in their preferred direction would get this time-waste of a show, good TRP’s.
Clearly this isn’t a “reality” show. For in real, one should be judging on talent. Here the judges themselves (except for Sonu Nigam) are inappropriate to judge a singing talent show. The indian audience which will obviously go crazy trying to sway the results in their preferred direction would get this time-waste of a show, good TRP’s.
Even tabloids are less biased for they are uniformly snarky.
I think that some grassroots love “sons of the soil” generally, and Mid-Day’s market may
explain the article. Fortunately for Mid-Day, it doesn’t have a reputation to protect.
That said, I like A.S. more than A.S.
amit sana u r d best singer tht i hav ever heard,u r simply superb and i cant tell u how much i am crazy abt u.u r d best singer and i thnk u beat even sonu.u r the idol.no second thought abt tht
My vote is for the guy with billion dollars smile.. its Abhijeert.. who knws hw to attract the audiences with his performance. he knw hw to present himself n is always consistent since the beginning of the show. Abhi, is the most loved one contestent for many.
abhijeet has won, but for me,
AMIT SANA was always a winner from the start.Even after losing he has proved himself to be a winner by his humility and compassionate heart.As a person younger to AMIT , i get a lot of inspiration and josh from him.He is definitely capable of inspiring people elder or younger to him.I hope he successfully completes his graduation with flying colours and then takes up singing as a full time career.My best wishes to u AMIT SANA and GOD BLESS YOU !!!
it was cool n amit was the best
Hi! Amit.This is REliza . amit i am a great fan of yours. i like you very much.i want to talk to u and meet you.
actually i m from Nepal. But i am your die heart fan. please respond to me . i
want to have a good relation with u may be friends. please please please mail me please please please please please.
your greatest fan and your well wisher, Reliza.
hi rahul
u r fab and i love u for all u do.
ur r an xtra ordinary boy. ur kool smart and v.v.sweet
dont b upset i know that u will succeed
in life
with lots of lots of lots of………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………….LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE -TINA
hi rahul
i really love u very much do mail me i will eait for u uumma (a kiss)i love u
mail me
bye-tina
We all have lost someone very special “Amit sana”,who actually deserved to be the INDIAN IDOL .Atleast for me ,he’ll always be my INDIAN IDOL.I look up to him.He’ll always remain to be my my role model.Sana,inspite of being very talented ,he didn’t become the INDIAN IDOL which is not only unfortunate for him but to us also.I pray for him everyday.I love him and his voice.I am crazy abt his voice.I wish him LUCK with lots of love ..Best of luck
hi Rahul V,
YOU ARE MY INDIAN IDOL.
You won’t believe but you know i have you photos andyour wallpaper which i watch everyday and so many other things that i have got after many problems.i have a request-plezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz send me your e-mail ID,phone no. or your address through mail. i know that you won’t read this but if in case you read then plezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz do me this favour as it would me the biggest and best birthday gift.i want to wish you best of luck for your future as a singer.YOU ARE MY FAVOURATE SINGER.Don’t think that i will disturb you if you send me your no.,id etc as iam just going to be 13.I will not even tell anyone.
THIS IS 4 D CUTEST N DASHING AMIT SANA…the guy with a lovely voice n killing smile. u know wht??? i hav fallen 4 u right 4rm d first day….i was also 1 of the participants in kolkata,but i could’nt make it….plssss try 2reply me.4 now bye my “ALBELA SAJAN”….puja.
THIS IS 4 D CUTEST N DASHING AMIT SANA…the guy with a lovely voice n killing smile. u know wht??? i hav fallen 4 u right 4rm d first day….i was also 1 of the participants in kolkata,but i could’nt make it….plssss try 2reply me.4 now bye my “ALBELA SAJAN”….puja.
TRUE FACT
abhijeet sawant won because :
1) because of lots of media support{read mid-day paper of 23 feb 2005. ‘’vote for our town boy'’ that s wrong to fever[promot] only one candidate.
2)according to mumbai`s crowd (specially female crowd) .people forget before voting it was Indian Idol, not mumabi or maharastra idol. people did not vote for indian idol.
3)the selection peonal of indian idol was particialsingers like rahul vaidya would also desrve for the crown of indian idol.
4)maharastrian people impress coz abhijeet told “aapli boli aapla bana” during the episode of indian idol.
5)voting is not right way to choose a indian idol .peopla choose only there fav. singer.
And finally only holiday for amit sana & nothing this really unfare.(both of u r my fav.singers)but that is fact
wishing u happiness abhijeet its “U” turn of uour life so carry on & wish u best of success amit sana
AMIT SANA IS NOT INDIAN IDOL HE IS A SUPER STAR
TRUE FACT
abhijeet sawant won because :
1)because of lots of media support{read mid-day paper of 23 feb 2005. ‘’vote for our town boy'’ its wrong to fever[promot] only one candidate
2)according to mumbai`s crowd (specially female crowd) .people forget before voting it was Indian Idol, not mumabi or maharastra idol. people did not vote for indian idol.
3)the selection peonal of indian idol was particial singers like rahul vaidya & Aditi paul would also desrve for the crown of indian idol.
4)voting is not right way to choose a indian idol .peopla choose only there fav. singers.
& finally only holiday for
amit sana & nothing this really unfare.{both of u r my fav.singers }but that is fact
wishing u happiness abhijeet its “U” turn of uour life so carry on & wish u best of success amit sana
SO WHAT IA AMIT SANA IS NOT INDIAN IDOL.HE IS A SUPERSTAR. THIS
CUTE NETWORKING ENG. GUY IS NOW “KISNA” OF ALL INDIAN GOPI`S