Just a fortnight back I discovered that the whole world was rushing to elect the “new seven wonders” of the world. Media frenzy had heightened and everyone in India was busy covering it. Every TV channel wanted SMS to be sent to it or voting to be done through its website. Someone painted Taj on his body and someone was sporting Taj haircut. A few companies even started media campaigns and then Taj songs started appearing on the television. Finally, when mails started pouring in my inbox, I knew it was my time to make my contribution.
So I searched the site and then started looking for the information. Out of curiosity I wanted to know who the organisers were. I was expecting UNESCO or some other reputed organisation but to my astonishment it turned out to be some vague outfit – NOWC( New Open World Corporation). A corporation!!! I was stunned, and then I tried looking for more info on this organiser, after all why the hell was it interested in declaring seven wonders. Belonging to a country where more or less everything is regulated, you are tuned to only some with authority organising such events. I know most people are gonna to object my thought, why we always look for authority, why can’t anyone on his/her own organise such event. Well, I agree with it, but can we be dragged into all such activity by anyone and everyone. Can anyone just come and say “hey this is best !” sure they can, after all we can find numerous media house that come out with top 100 on everything from business houses to people. Do we give damn? Nah…
So what’s the credibility of the organisation that nobody heard of and nobody knows what kind of contribution it will make to those architectural wonders.
If you check the website they tell you the purpose of having seven new wonders is to revive the concept of architectural wonders and start a new concept of people selecting their wonders rather than experts. So, its not experts deciding but people making their choice. But is it actually people’s choice? Since you can vote only through cellphone and internet, you know how many people in Africa, S America and Asia will be able to vote, so it will be partial. And with everyone propagating their national wonders, you can make out which are going to winners.
What’s more its website talk about “selling official license” on products and services related to new7wonders. Now you will think it will come down to “Guinness book of world records”, actually its worse. n7w sells its mobile voting rights to mobile operator like ‘Airtel’ in India and guess what - Airtel mints money in name of Taj. Similarly websites increase their number of hits through voting. That’s not all, n7w will make toys claiming its rights and even worse travel services and retail concepts based on n7w, so in future you cant even open ‘seven wonders’ theme shops without their permission. They walk away with all money even without putting a penny or having to do with those architectural wonders, there isn’t any mention of the organisation talking of preserving such wonders, but that won’t stop it fooling around with all of us.
So I searched the site and then started looking for the information. Out of curiosity I wanted to know who the organisers were. I was expecting UNESCO or some other reputed organisation but to my astonishment it turned out to be some vague outfit – NOWC( New Open World Corporation). A corporation!!! I was stunned, and then I tried looking for more info on this organiser, after all why the hell was it interested in declaring seven wonders. Belonging to a country where more or less everything is regulated, you are tuned to only some with authority organising such events. I know most people are gonna to object my thought, why we always look for authority, why can’t anyone on his/her own organise such event. Well, I agree with it, but can we be dragged into all such activity by anyone and everyone. Can anyone just come and say “hey this is best !” sure they can, after all we can find numerous media house that come out with top 100 on everything from business houses to people. Do we give damn? Nah…
So what’s the credibility of the organisation that nobody heard of and nobody knows what kind of contribution it will make to those architectural wonders.
If you check the website they tell you the purpose of having seven new wonders is to revive the concept of architectural wonders and start a new concept of people selecting their wonders rather than experts. So, its not experts deciding but people making their choice. But is it actually people’s choice? Since you can vote only through cellphone and internet, you know how many people in Africa, S America and Asia will be able to vote, so it will be partial. And with everyone propagating their national wonders, you can make out which are going to winners.
What’s more its website talk about “selling official license” on products and services related to new7wonders. Now you will think it will come down to “Guinness book of world records”, actually its worse. n7w sells its mobile voting rights to mobile operator like ‘Airtel’ in India and guess what - Airtel mints money in name of Taj. Similarly websites increase their number of hits through voting. That’s not all, n7w will make toys claiming its rights and even worse travel services and retail concepts based on n7w, so in future you cant even open ‘seven wonders’ theme shops without their permission. They walk away with all money even without putting a penny or having to do with those architectural wonders, there isn’t any mention of the organisation talking of preserving such wonders, but that won’t stop it fooling around with all of us.
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