got a ym message from hida_berserker   tonight. told me to head over to this site where I can vote for The New Seven Wonders of the World. which I find quite fascinating. 

First because, people!!!! we're voting for the world's seven wonders now! as if they're politicians or beauty queens (why only seven, by the way?) and we're doing it online!!

And because it's such a fascinating power play! who gets to define what a "wonder" is? (well, the website has a feature where you can recommend a place or building to be included in the roster of candidates, which seemingly democratizes the polling process. but not really.)

Consider: are all the countries represented? Are there more entries from first world countries than poor ones? 

Oh, and take into account the fact that not everyone is hooked on to the world wide web, nor to a computer as a matter of fact. Third world? We are at a major, MAJOR disadvantage, guys. Hey, I want the Philippines' Chocolate Hills to have made it into the top 5 as the next guy, but who are we kidding? It's called the digital divide.

Are they "wonders" because they've survived several centuries and were left over by ancient civilizations? Are they "wonders" because they hold a record in a book? And why do you hold natural locations (there are canyons and rivers in the running) in the same category as man-made structures? And why are we voting for them anyway? quel est le point??

Take the Taj Mahal for example.

Such a lovely, romantic, breathtaking, magnificent structure. Yes, it made it to the top 7. And, you would initially say, it's a winner because it's a wonderful world icon. It's a testament to unconditional love. Dedicated to a dead Indian king's wife. A nice tourist spot. An architectural marvel. And yes, it takes great pictures like the rest of them. 

It also doesn't hurt that this mausoleum was firmly campaigned for by its national government. India's vote-for-the-Taj-Majal campaign. It's that important.

which means that getting world renown (we call it "soft power") is soooo important in a world where there's an economic and political disparity among nations. Like, we may be poor, we may be starving, a lot of us may be illiterate, but at least we get brownie points for the Taj Mahal.

Which, by the way, wasn't constructed out of thin air, but by thousands and thousands of workers who had to toil, day and night, who had to die, from overwork and disease, who built this magnificent structure, who had their hands cut off after their work was done because the king allegedly didn't want them to ever copy this building EVER, by a nameless, faceless, oppressed labor force who never benefited from the fruits of their work.