Who Should Be Second Life's Man (or Woman) of The Year?

On Thursday evening December 20, the noted real-life news publication Time Magazine announced it's choice for Man of the Year, with President-Elect Joe Biden and VP-Elect Kamala Harris sharing the cover. For almost a hundred years since they chose Charles Lindbergh in 1927, the magazine has done an annual issue featuring the person, group of people, an idea, or thing that has "for better or for worse... has done the most to influence the events of the year." Over the years, most American Presidents have made the achievement, as well as noted people such as Mahatma Gandhi. They've also chosen groups of people such as "The Middle Americans" in 1969 and "You" in 2006, meaning the millions whom contributed to the Internet and the World Wide Web. Not all of it's choices were popular. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Allahtollah Khomeni selections which drew criticism from the readers. And a few such as "The Computer" in 1982 were met with confusion. But it's a tradition that's gone on through the years as reporting the news has gone from not just print media and radio, but television, cable TV, and then the Internet as well.

It's a tradition that starting in 2014, the Second Life Newser decided to take on with Linden Lab's new CEO Ebbe Altberg as Second Life's Man of the Year. Since then, we've got after the person or persons whom had the most impact on Second Life news, our last winners being the Linden Moles in 2019 for their work on the new continent of Bellisseria. And like Time Magazine, not all of our choices were popular. The choice of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai for his dismantling of Net Neutrality and the potentially chilling effect it could have on Second Life was one that got both criticism and head scratching.

Others whom got the achievement were the Second Life Birthday volunteer group in 2018, the Relay for Life volunteers in 2016, and in 2015 the community of Steelhead. There were also a number of people whom made runner-up such as Barbie Alchemi and Fran Serenade, and Draxtor Despress.

So who should our choice be in 2020? With the Pandemic raging in real life, should it be those whom have made an effort to educate Second Life residents about it? Should it be a noted resident whom caught or passed away from the Coronavirus? Should it be a person or group of people whom raised money for charity, the Relay Life being an obvious example but there are others. Should it be a noted filmmaker? Should it be a noted community leader or community officer whom made a difference? Or maybe this was someone on the Internet whom had such a big impact, it had a big influence on what happens or could happen here?

We have a few people in mind, but we're willing to take suggestions. Who do you think should be Second Life's Man, Woman, or Persons of the Year?

Source: Time Magazine, Wikipedia

Bixyl Shuftan